LAST UPDATE | 25 Jul 2025

THE NUMBER OF people in the State officially recognised as homeless stands at 15,915 according to the latest figures.

A total of 15,747 people were living in emergency accommodation in May, meaning there has been an increase of 168 recorded as homeless.

Today’s overall figure includes 4,958 children – an increase of 114 on last month’s figures.

The statistics do not include people rough sleeping, refugees, asylum seekers, individuals in domestic violence shelters, or those experiencing “hidden homelessness”, such as sleeping in cars, on couches, or other unsuitable living conditions.

The figures are taken from the week of 23-29 in June.

Of the adults accessing emergency accommodation, 7,755 were in Co Dublin.

Some 660 adults were in Cork, 510 were in Limerick, and 238 were in Galway.

Meanwhile, there were 3,666 children living in emergency accommodation in Dublin.

Nationwide, 2,320 families are in emergency accommodation.

‘Shameful milestone’

Social Democrats housing spokesperson Rory Hearne described today’s figures as a “shameful milestone” and he said it shows how the “government continues to deprioritise homelessness”.

“This is what happens when you do not protect vulnerable renters, or prevent them from becoming homeless,” said Hearne.

“These numbers are real families and real children experiencing serious trauma day in and day out – their plight cannot be ignored any longer.”

Meanwhile, Sinn Féin’s housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin remarked that the “government failure is normalising homelessness”.

“There has been no emergency response to the ever-deepening homelessness crisis.  Instead, there is just empty words and cruel inaction,” he added.

Ó Broin called for an “emergency ban on evictions” and an “emergency supply of social homes to get people out of homeless accommodation”.

Elsewhere, the Simon Communities Of Ireland noted a “concerning trends is the sharp rise in homelessness among older people”.

Some 249 adults over the age of 65 are in emergency accommodation – this is a 104% increase when compared to 2020, when 122 people in the age cohort were homeless.

Ber Grogan, Executive Director of the Simon Communities of Ireland, said “more older people are now left without an affordable, appropriate, secure place to call home”.

He also noted the increase in “children being forced to experience the trauma of homelessness over the last number of years”.

“These are two of the most vulnerable groups in society,” said Grogan.

“The Government must show they care,” he added. “This crisis demands an age-appropriate, compassionate response.”

Focus Ireland has called for more urgency from the government to help ease the crisis, particularly for children.

CEO Pat Dennigan said: “We should always take time to remember that behind every single number is a man, woman or child suffering the trauma of losing their home. Homelessness hurts everyone and it hurts children the most.”

“It is heartbreaking that nearly 5,000 children are having their childhoods stolen one day at a time. We need to end child homelessness. For good,” he said.

Focus Ireland has said the Government needs to stop families being evicted because of unaffordable rents.

Dennigan said: “More than 53,000 low-income households rely on the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) to afford their rent. While rents have increased 75% in the last ten years, the Government has not increased HAP, leaving people struggling to pay the rent.”

He welcomed Minister for Housing James Browne’s commitment to review HAP rates, and highlighted the need for a timeline for the review and implementation of recommendations.

Dennigan said homelessness is not inevitable but is a consequence of the unsuitable policies in place, and could be solved with better policies.

The Salvation Army has warned that the childhoods of thousands of children are being “suppressed” by the homeless crisis.

“Part of a normal childhood involves inviting friends to your home, play dates and sleepovers,” said Erene Williamson, The Salvation Army’s Homeless Services Ireland Lead.

“But these things that so many of us take for granted are not enjoyed by children in emergency accommodation”.