The number of people sleeping rough on the streets of Dublin fell by a third between 1999 and 2005, according to research. But the proportion remaining in homelessness for three or more years (up to 43 per cent) has not changed significantly since detailed figures were first collected in 1999.
The research was conducted for the Homeless Agency, which plans and co-ordinates services for homeless people in the capital, and was based on a week-long survey of people sleeping rough and in emergency accommodation in Dublin in March 2005.
The numbers represent a 19 per cent drop from 2,900 people experiencing homelessness in 2002 to around 2,015 in March 2005. Just under a quarter were children. Around 185 adults reported to be sleeping rough for at least four of the previous nights, a fall of 33 per cent compared to 2002 figures.
Most homeless people were single (77 per cent) and the average age was 37 years. A large number (43 per cent) of respondents said they had been homeless for over three years.
Most were staying in private emergency accommodation (38 per cent) or hostels (22 per cent). Ten per cent said they were foreign nationals.
The findings suggest that an increase in front-line services - such as street outreach, emergency accommodation, food and day services - as well as a greater focus on long-term accommodation support, are beginning to have an impact on homelessness.
Dr Derval Howley, director of the Homeless Agency, said while the numbers sleeping rough had fallen, the challenge continued to be the need to address the length of time people were homeless.
Minister of State with responsibility for housing Noel Ahern welcomed the findings and said there should now be a greater focus away from emergency accommodation.
The report got a mixed response from voluntary groups working with homeless people.
While Focus Ireland, the Dublin Simon Community and Threshold welcomed the report, they were concerned over the lack of appropriate long-term accommodation. But Trust, a social and health service for homeless people, rejected the findings as "absurdly out of date".