THERE HAS BEEN a 37% increase in the number of homeless children over the last six months.
New figures from the Department of the Environment provide a snapshot of the homeless situation in Ireland this month. The stats show that there were 2,206 children living in emergency accommodation during the course of a week in June 2016.
That’s up from 1,616 children who were living in a similar situation in a week in December.
The count was taken during the week of 20-26 June and shows that 1,078 families were living in emergency accommodation. Six months previously that figure was 775.
The figure for adults in emergency accommodation was 3,625 in December. This has now risen to 4,152, a 14.5% increase over six months.
The figures also demonstrate the extent of the homeless problem is Dublin, an area which accounts for more than two-thirds of the national figure.
The figures come as the government today announced a planned €5 billion spend on social housing over the next five years along with other measures to fight homelessness.
These include the phasing out of hotels for emergency accommodation and increased rental supplements.
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