15,000 likely to be homeless in Ireland by Christmas, figures show

The final Friday of the month is when the monthly homeless figures are announced, and the timing of October 2024’s figures coincides with a general election.

In the 2nd to last report that covers the lifetime of the government elected in June 2020, it has been announced that 14,966 people availed of homelessness services in Ireland in October 2024, an increase from 14,760 in September 2024.

 10,836 of the 14,966 are in Dublin, marking a 12% year-on-year increase in the capital.

The figures include 1,512 families, 3,448 children, and 4,756 single adults, representing nearly half the total. These numbers exclude those rough sleeping, refugees, asylum seekers, individuals in domestic violence shelters, and those in hidden homelessness—people sleeping in cars, on couches, or in unsuitable living conditions. 

Catherine Kenny, CEO of Dublin Simon Community, said “for many at the ballot box, today’s election will be a referendum on how the housing crisis has been managed. Thousands of people are experiencing homelessness, and countless more are at risk of joining them. The real test for the next Government will be reducing these numbers—not by simply managing homelessness but by moving people from emergency accommodation and the streets into social or affordable homes.

“What we have been seeing is departments working in silos: Housing, Health, Social Protection, and Integration to mention a few. Whoever forms the next Government needs to recognise the multifaceted nature of the homelessness issue, and the only way to address it is through a cross-government approach. Homelessness is a crisis, and it needs to be treated like one. We are calling for transformative solutions that prioritise prevention, affordable housing, and tailored support for the most vulnerable.”