Dramatic jump in homeless figures, as figures creep closer to 18,000

17,885 people were confirmed to be in homeless accommodation by the Department of Housing in the most recent round of figures.

The figure is a major jump from the 17,527 people confirmed to be in homeless accommodation by the Department of Housing in the previous round of figures.

March 2026 was the first month in which controversial rent rules were implemented, with critics arguing they erode tenants’ rights and prevent tenants from attaining long-term security.

Of the figure, 5,830 are children, up from the previous figure of 5,659.

In Dubin, the total homeless population stands at 12,429, up from the previous record of 12,417.

When the Fianna Fáil/Fine Gael/independents government took office in January 2025, the figure stood at 15,286 people in homeless accommodation nationwide.

The figures mark a dramatic increase from May 2016, when the 32nd Dáil met for the first time, when 6,189 people were in homeless accommodation.

Sociologists note that homeless figures only record people who are availing of homeless accommodation, and do not count “invisible” homelessness such as people sleeping on couches at family and friends’ houses, or people sleeping in cars.

Catherine Kenny, CEO of Dublin Simon Community, said “emergency accommodation should be a short-term response to a crisis, not a long-term substitute for a home. We need to judge our progress by how many people we help leave homelessness behind for good.”

“Budget 2027 provides the Government with an opportunity to set a clear and ambitious goal: 2,000 households exiting homelessness into permanent homes in Dublin next year. That target must be matched with the capital funding for building social housing and the necessary supports required to make those exits sustainable,” Kenny said.

Of the 7,304 single adults in emergency accommodation nationally, 4,881 are in Dublin, making the capital the epicentre of the crisis.