There are now 7,700 people residing in emergency accommodation across Dublin, marking a record high in homelessness figures for the third consecutive month.
The Department of Housing revealed that 10,905 people are now recorded as homeless nationwide. Homeless charity Focus Ireland argued that the figures did not represent the full extent of the homelessness crisis in Ireland and emphasised that many people experiencing homelessness continue to remain under the radar.
READ MORE: Dublin residents terrorised by rats describe horrific living conditions
CEO of Focus Ireland Pat Dennigan stated: “It’s a reality that the monthly homeless figures are now a reflection of people only in emergency accommodation, the actual number of people homeless is in fact considerably higher.”
He added: “The prospect is looking increasingly grim this winter unless there is an urgent response to avoid more trauma for families across the country.”
The group previously welcomed the introduction of the no fault eviction ban, which prohibits landlords for evicting tenants this winter as a result of the cost of living crisis. The ban will come into effect next month.
Children make up an alarming proportion of the official statistics, with 3,342 children residing within emergency facilities such as hotel and B and Bs. 2,429 children were reported as homeless in Dublin alone.
Focus Ireland estimates that family homelessness went up by a staggering 42% in comparison to September 2021. There were roughly 112 families who sought out emergency accommodation this month, which was down 8.9 per cent from the same period last year.
The Department of Housing also suggested that nearly half of single people and families recorded as homeless between June and September were living in emergency accommodation for a maximum of six months.
READ MORE
New foodbank in Dublin bracing for huge numbers of people seeking help
Liffey Valley's new cashless car parking leaves customers frustrated
Switch off these five 'worst energy offenders' to save money on bills
'I was charged €4.10 for tea and €4.75 for coffee in a Dublin cafe'
Sign up to the Dublin Live Newsletter to get all the latest Dublin news straight to your inbox.
