Almost 12,500 People In Emergency Accommodation

Friday, 30 June 2023 16:32

By Caoimhe Harney

Some 168 people were registered as homeless in Kildare in May

Some 168 people were registered as homeless in Kildare in May, according to figures released by the department of housing.

210 people were registered homeless in Meath, while 46 people were registered homeless in Wicklow.

Nationally, 12,441 people were registered homeless in May - a new record high.

Department of Housing figures show 8,742 adults and 3,699 children were in emergency accommodation.

Catherine Kenny, CEO of Dublin Simon Community commented:“There were 9,160 people in emergency accommodation in Dublin in May, representing a 23% increase over the past 12 months.

"As we revealed earlier this week, on one night in June, 25% of Dublin Simon’s emergency beds were occupied by workers.

"They were cleaners, event and retail security staff, taxi drivers, van drivers and lorry drivers, scaffolders, electricians and construction workers, healthcare assistants and carers, shop workers and retail staff, barbers and bar workers.

"With the scarcity of suitable accommodation, soaring rents, the cost-of-living crisis, and notices to quit coming to the end of their term, housing insecurity is affecting workers like never before," she added.

Despite the increase, the Housing Minister has defended the Government's approach to the crisis.

Darragh O'Brien says opposition parties were way off the mark in their predictions of a tsunami of homelessness:

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