LAST UPDATE | 26 Jul

A RECORD NUMBER of people accessed emergency accommodation in Ireland in June, new figures have shown.

A total of 14,303 people accessed emergency accommodation nationally – an increase of 144 (1%) on the month prior. A record number of children were housed in emergency accommodation in June.

According to the latest figures from the Department of Housing, 9,899 single adults and 4,404 children were in emergency accommodation in June. Over 2,000 families were in emergency accommodation in June.

The Dublin Simon Community said this afternoon that the number of people nationally in emergency accommodation “exceeds the capacity of Hill 16 in Croke Park”. 

“These figures do not include those rough sleeping, people in domestic violence shelters, refugees, and those on our streets seeking asylum,” it said.

CEO of Dublin Simon, Catherine Kenny, called on the government to do more to tackle the “lack of progress and action” regarding the ongoing homelessness crisis. 

It is not enough to say that housing is a challenge in this country – we all know it is – the question is what the government intends to do about it in the months before we go to the polls. The time for action is now.”

Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on Housing, TD Eoin Ó Broin commented following the release of the report that “government policy is driving month on month rises in homelessness”.

Ó Broin hit out at the government and Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien, saying that such an increase is “why we need a general election”. 

Similarly, Social Democrats’ spokesperson on Housing, TD Cian O’Callaghan called upon the government to take action.

“These figures comes in the wake of most recent RTB Notices of Termination report which showed another 4,035 people are facing eviction and at risk of homelessness since the beginning of April,” he said.

Focus Ireland echoed calls from the Dublin Simon Community – saying that “in the middle of this crisis it is vital to remember the it is possible to end homelessness if the right actions are taken.

CEO Pat Dennigan added that it “must be seen as totally unacceptable” that there are now over 4,000 children homeless.

Last month, the figures from the Department of Housing stated that a then-record 9,843 adults and 4,316 children were in emergency accommodation in May. 

May’s figure was an increase from the 14,009 people living in emergency accommodation in April, which was also a record.

Last month, a report by homeless charity Focus Ireland found that there was a 579% increase in the number of adults in emergency accommodation for more than six months since 2014.

The government has previously been urged to take homeless figures into account while drafting the upcoming budget.