Homeless figures have risen again with more than 15,000 people accessing emergency accommodation, according to latest data from the Department of Housing.
A total of 15,199 people accessed emergency accommodation in November, a rise of 233 on the previous month.
There has also been a small rise in the number of children who were homeless.
Some 4,658 children were in emergency accommodation between 18 November and 24 November – an increase of 13 on the previous month’s figures.
The latest figures show that the number of people in emergency accommodation is at a record high.
A total of 1,524 families in Dublin accessed emergency accommodation of which 834 were single parent families.
Nationwide, a total of 2,168 families accessed emergency accommodation of which 1,252 were single-parent families.
The Department of Housing’s official homelessness statistics are published on a monthly basis and refer to the number of homeless persons accommodated in emergency accommodation funded and overseen by housing authorities during a specific count week.
It comes as the 2024 Winter Count of people sleeping rough in the Dublin region found that the majority were Irish males aged between 26 and 45 years old.
The official count for the Dublin Region Homeless Executive was carried out by the Dublin Simon Community Outreach team over the week of the 4 November to 10 November across the four Dublin local authorities.
There were 134 people confirmed as rough sleepers during that week representing an increase of 16 on the same period last year.
The Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE) found that 43% were using tents while the others were not while 17 people were also included in the Spring Count.
Twelve couples were included in the Winter count which the DRHE said highlights the need for an increase in the number of couple’s beds.
The figures do not include International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) clients as they are under the remit of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration, and Youth.
The DHRE said the purpose of the count is to gather information on the patterns of rough sleeping, identify chronic rough sleepers for the Housing First Programme and health and/or accommodation needs for each individual.
The DHRE added that rough sleeping will remain a serious problem due to the lack of access to housing to help support people to exit homelessness.
Dublin Simon is calling for a commitment from the Government to invest in preventative measures, to fast-track building social and affordable housing, and to recognise the need for tailored supports that directly meet the needs of those experiencing homelessness.
While the count was carried out by the Dublin Simon Community Outreach Team, additional Outreach workers were deployed to ensure intense coverage of city centre areas.
Staff in all four Dublin local authorities and An Garda Síochána provided additional information about people who were rough sleeping, especially those in isolated areas.
The DHRE said the rough sleeper count, while an important exercise in understanding the scope of homelessness in Dublin, does not encompass the entirety of the issue.
Catherine Kenny, CEO of Dublin Simon Community, said: ”We are alarmed by the rise in rough sleeping numbers in Dublin over the last twelve months.
“This is particularly concerning given the extremely cold conditions across the country and the multi-hazard weather event expected over the weekend and into next week.
“Combined with the thousands in emergency accommodation in the capital alone, the growing number of people without a place to call home represents a crisis that is only getting worse.
“These figures are more than just numbers—they are people forced to endure unimaginable hardship, particularly in the coldest months of the year.”
