THE NUMBER OF people in emergency accommodation fell slightly in December, but remains significantly higher than a year ago, according to the latest figures from the Department of Housing.

A total of 16,734 people were living in emergency accommodation last month, including 11,546 adults and 5,188 children. The figures also include 2,478 families.

While this represents a decrease of 262 people compared with November’s record high of 16,996, homelessness charities and opposition TDs have warned the dip is seasonal and unlikely to last.

Over the past year, homelessness has continued to rise sharply.

Since December 2024, the number of people in emergency accommodation has increased by 1,870, or 12.6%.

This includes a 15% rise in the number of children, a 15.1% increase in women, and a 17.9% rise in people aged over 65.

The Simon Communities of Ireland said the December fall was “welcome but expected”, noting that homelessness figures typically drop in the run-up to Christmas as people temporarily stay with friends or family.

“These arrangements are rarely sustainable,” Executive Director Ber Grogan said, warning that homelessness is likely to rise again in the coming months unless urgent action is taken.

“We expect the numbers of those living in homelessness to rise again month on month in 2026, unless urgent action is taken to address this growing crisis,” Grogan said.

Grogan added that the government must act decisively on affordability and security of tenure.

Focus Ireland CEO Pat Dennigan echoed Grogan’s remarks, adding: “we must not lose sight of the fact it is possible to end this human crisis if the right policies and political will are in place.”

“We must remember that behind every number is a person whose life has been pushed into crisis by losing their home. It is simply unacceptable that over 5,000 children in Ireland are still homeless today,” Dennigan added.

Focus Ireland CEO Catherine Kenny said that the short-term dip “does not change the reality” that thousands of people “remain without a safe, secure place to call home.”

“This is the third year in a row we have seen a decrease at this point in the year, only for numbers to rise again in January and continue climbing,” Kenny said.

“Month-to-month fluctuations should not distract from the urgent need for sustained, long-term solutions that reflect the complexity of people’s lives.”

Sinn Féin housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin said the latest figures underline what he described as the failure of government housing policy.

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“While the figures are down marginally on November, as anticipated at Christmas, they are significantly higher than December 2024 for adults, children, families, single people and pensioners,” he said.

Ó Broin claimed the situation is being worsened by proposed changes to rent pressure zones, warning that the legislation would lead to “dramatic increases in rent and dramatic increases in homelessness”.

“This government’s housing plan is failing and leading to record levels of adults and children in emergency accommodation,” Ó Broin said, adding that the government was “pushing through legislation that will make things in 2026 considerably worse than in 2025”.

Social Democrats housing spokesperson Rory Hearne echoed Ó Broin, stating that he believes the cause of this crisis, “which continues to spiral out of control”, is “government failure to treat this situation with the urgency and gravity it demands.”

“Tánaiste Simon Harris needs to stop blaming immigration for homelessness and take responsibility for his government’s failure to prevent thousands of families from being evicted into homelessness,” Hearne said.

“If it continues down the path it’s on, already littered with terrible decisions that are worsening the housing crisis, then a change of government is the only option remaining to get us out of this mess.”

The figures come amid continued criticism of the government’s housing targets, after CSO data showed housing completions fell short of official projections for 2025.