AS WE HEAD into International Women’s Day, tomorrow, we need to have a conversation about women and girls experiencing homelessness in Ireland. More women in Ireland are experiencing homelessness than ever before.

As of January 2023, there were 3,036 women experiencing homelessness, marking a 49% increase from 2,037 in January 2021. This figure does not account for women in domestic violence refuges or those “sofa-surfing” with friends or family. The statistics only cover the number of people placed in emergency accommodation, and we have called for improved data collection and collation on the real situation of women experiencing homelessness.

The December 2024 statistics showed that 3,982 women were accessing emergency accommodation across the State. This equates to 38% of people in emergency homeless accommodation. It is indisputable that there is a concerning rise in homelessness among women in Ireland, and we believe the true number is far higher. Monthly official figures don’t include women in domestic violence refuges, in Direct Provision, or in other precarious housing situations.

We know that over half of the families experiencing homelessness are single-parent families. We know that the majority of these are single mothers. Yet, the monthly homeless statistics do not break the data down to that level of detail.

Women in vulnerable situations

Women often become homeless for different reasons than men. One of the most significant causes is domestic violence. Many women fleeing abusive partners find themselves with nowhere to go due to an insufficient number of refuge spaces and long waiting lists for housing. Others fall into homelessness due to economic hardship, job loss, or the inability to afford rising rents, particularly in cities like Dublin, where the housing crisis is at its worst.

The recent narrative around changing designated rent pressure zones is unhelpful and could add stress to already precarious housing situations for women and girls.

Women experiencing homelessness face unique and complex challenges that make their struggle even more harrowing. Often, homeless women in Ireland are invisible victims of a broken system. Work by Safe Ireland has shown that around 180 women and 275 children seek emergency accommodation every month, and in 2021, more than 3,000 requests for refuge could not be met by services. 

The Simon Communities of Ireland, a network of independent organisations, have been dedicated to providing homeless, housing and treatment services across the country for over 50 years. Our mission is to end long-term homelessness in Ireland and ensure that any occurrence of homelessness is rare, short-term, and non-recurring. We provide services to men, women and children and have some women-only accommodation units.

In 2021, local Simon Communities worked with a total of 22,280 people, including 2,140 families, offering services such as homelessness prevention, street outreach, emergency accommodation, and health and well-being support.

Housing is discussed and debated and highlighted every other day. We hear about housing targets, planning applications and construction costs, but seem to have lost the central tenet to increasing housing supply – finally addressing the atrocious homelessness crisis in Ireland. As with a lot of awareness raising on this issue, the parallel policy response tends to move at a snail’s pace.

It is indisputable that corporates, Governments and society will pay lip service to celebrating women for International Women’s Day. What is the best way to celebrate women? Action. We need to see an increase in domestic violence refuge places, security of tenure in the private rental sector, tenancy sustainment as well as homeless prevention interventions and accurate and detailed data.

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What Needs to Change?

Addressing the homelessness crisis for women requires a targeted approach. Firstly, increasing access to women-only accommodation options is necessary. Secondly, increased funding for domestic violence shelters is essential to ensure that women fleeing abuse have a safe place to go.

Alongside these measures, the Government must invest in more social and affordable housing, prioritising vulnerable groups such as single mothers and victims of domestic abuse.

Local representatives need to look at the evidence on Residential Tenancies Board’s research on Rent Pressure Zones before making any decisions that could negatively impact on the women and girls in Ireland.

Ber Grogan is Executive Director of Simon Communities of Ireland. To make a donation, go to a local Simon Community page at www.simon.ie.