THERE HAS BEEN an increase of 579% from 2014 in the number of adults in emergency accommodation for more than six months, a new report has found.

The report, by homeless charity Focus Ireland, examines significant developments in homelessness over the last decade, spanning 2014-2023.

It found that over 55,000 adults have entered emergency accommodation as a result of homelessness in that period.

The number of families and children in emergency accommodation has doubled since August 2021.

Family homelessness has risen by 480% over the decade. One parent families make up 13% of emergency accommodation in Ireland. Couples with children make up 10.5%.

It stated that a total of 6,462 adults entered emergency accommodation for the first time last year – the highest amount in the last decade.

Homelessness in Dublin

Just over half the number of adults who had experienced homelessness in this time, and entered emergency accommodation as a result, were in Dublin. 

In addition to those in emergency accommodation, a further 10,532 households were “assessed and regarded” as being homeless by the four Dublin local authorities in the time between 2017 and 2023, but did not enter emergency accommodation as they secured alternative accommodation.

In total, over 30,000 households fell under this branch in the decade examined. 19,368 entered emergency accommodation. 

Approximately 75% of adults who had been in emergency accommodation for over six months were in Dublin.

The number of people sleeping rough in Dublin has remained consistent, the report found, peaking at 184 individuals in the winter of 2017.

Emergency Accommodation

The report found that a total of €2.2 billion had been spent by local authorities on services for households experiencing homelessness between 2014 and 2023. 

It revealed that the use of private emergency accommodation, which is privately owned and operated, has been increasingly used to house individuals in need of emergency accommodation.

Director of Advocacy at Focus Ireland, Mike Allen, said that the report clearly shows that Ireland’s current approach to homelessness is “flawed”.

“Over the past decade, huge numbers of adults have experienced the pain of not having a home and these startling figures reflect the severe and persistent nature of the problem we face,” he said.

Ireland has committed to ending homelessness by 2030, under the Lisbon Declaration. 

“Without urgent action, we will not achieve our 2030 goal,” Allen said.

According to figures from the Department of Housing, a record number of 9,803 adults and 4,206 children were in emergency accommodation in April. The figure was an increase on 13,866 recorded in March,which was also a record at the time.