DUBLIN – Homelessness in Ireland has reached a grim new record, with 16,766 people accessing emergency accommodation in October. The final figures published by the Department of Housing before Christmas show the crisis continues to worsen, with devastating implications for thousands of families as the festive season approaches.
The total figure includes 11,492 adults and a record-breaking 5,274 children. This represents an increase of 152 people compared to the previous month, with the number of homeless children rising by 36 since September. The annual data reveals a staggering 12% increase in emergency accommodation residents since October 2024.
Sinn Féin Calls for Emergency Eviction Ban
Sinn Féin housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin TD condemned the figures as the “highest level of adult and child homelessness in modern history,” noting that there has been an “increase in every category of homelessness.”
Mr. Ó Broin placed the blame squarely on the Government, citing a “significant” 35% increase in tenancy termination notices recently published by the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB).
- Urgent Action Demanded: He called on Minister for Housing James Browne, Taoiseach Micheál Martin, and Tánaiste Simon Harris to take “emergency action” by introducing a six-month ban on evictions.
- Christmas Crisis: “Unless [the Government] want to see the highest levels of homelessness on Christmas Day, they need to move quickly to introduce an emergency ban on evictions,” Mr. Ó Broin stated.
- Vulnerable Groups: He also highlighted the link between the housing crisis and violence against women, noting that in many cases, women are “forced to remain in the home with an abusive partner.”
Charities Describe Situation as ‘Heartbreaking’
Homeless charities reacted with dismay to the figures, stressing the human cost of the escalating crisis:
- Focus Ireland: CEO Pat Dennigan called the record number of homeless children “heartbreaking,” lamenting that for many, this will be their second or third Christmas spent in emergency accommodation. “Children who are homeless are having their childhoods stolen one day at a time,” he said.
- Simon Communities of Ireland: Executive Director Ber Grogan warned that numbers will “continue to grow in 2026, unless urgent solutions are delivered.” She also pointed out that single adults remain the “forgotten group” largely absent from the Government’s newly launched housing plan.
The Department of Housing data shows that the increase is spread across all demographics: men in emergency accommodation rose by 9.6% year-on-year, women by 14%, and those over 65 by 17.6%.
The statistics on citizenship reveal that 50% of those accessing emergency accommodation are Irish citizens, while 29.8% are non-EEA and 20% are UK/EEA citizens, confirming the crisis is a widespread domestic failure.
