Spring 2023 count of people who are sleeping rough in the Dublin region

The Official Spring 2023 Count of people sleeping rough in the Dublin Region was carried out over the week March 6th to 12th 2023.

A total of 83 unique individuals were confirmed as rough sleeping across the Dublin region over the week of the count.

This represents a reduction of 8 persons (9%) on the same period last year, with 91 individuals found to be rough sleeping during both Spring 2022 and Winter 2022 counts.

The count was arranged by the Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE) and carried out by the Dublin Simon Community Outreach Team, with support from the Peter McVerry Trust Housing First Intake Team.

Additional Outreach workers were deployed to ensure intense coverage of city centre areas.

Staff in all four Dublin local authorities and An Garda Síochána provided additional information about people who were rough sleeping, especially those in isolated areas.

Of the 83 people met rough sleeping, 75 (90%) had previously been assessed by the DRHE for homeless services, and the remaining 8 persons were being actively engaged with by the Outreach Team to be assessed by homeless services.

The main characteristics of the group known to the DRHE were as follows:

• The majority of the people confirmed as rough sleeping were male, Irish and aged between 26-45 years.
• 92% were linked with one of the four Dublin local authorities.
• 48% were using tents and 52% were not.
• 18 individuals were found rough sleeping in both the Spring 2023 and Winter 2022 counts. A number of these are being targeted for a Housing First response, which will provide them with permanent housing and visiting supports to help them sustain their home.
• 4 individuals (5%) recorded as rough sleeping had an active tenancy.
• In the Spring 2023 count, 36 individuals (48%) accessed Emergency Accommodation during the week. The majority (97%) of rough sleepers had accessed Emergency Accommodation at some stage prior to the count week.

It can take several intensive engagements by the Outreach Team with people who are rough sleeping to support them into emergency accommodation, but in the vast majority of cases the team are successful in doing so within a short time frame.

97% of those found rough sleeping during the Spring 2023 count had used homeless accommodation in the past, 73% at some time in the 3 months prior to the count, and 39% had an open booking for emergency accommodation on at least one of the nights they were found to be sleeping rough.

The number of people rough sleeping in the Dublin Region changes from night to night.

While there is a core group who regularly sleep rough, and who may or may not engage with services, there is a larger group that move between rough sleeping, accessing emergency accommodation, sleeping in insecure accommodation, and staying with family or friends.

Others may engage in rough sleeping for a very brief transitional period. Conducting this count over a one-week period provides more information on the different experiences of people who engage in rough sleeping.

The DRHE sincerely thanks Dublin Simon Community, Peter McVerry Trust, An Garda Síochána, the HSE and staff in the four Dublin Local Authorities for the co-ordinated response to end rough sleeping.

The full report is available on the DRHE website: www.homelessdublin.ie