Homeless figures break new record
Mike Finnerty 28 Feb 2025
Homeless figures for January 2025 have revealed that 15,286 people availed of homeless services in Ireland, an all-time record.
Of that figure, 10,912 were in Dublin alone.
There was a slight dip in figures for December – the nationwide figure for December 2024 was 14,864, with 10,686 in Dublin.
The Dublin Simon Community has noted that the 10,686 figure is a 9% year-on-year increase compared to 2023.
The figure does not include “invisible homelessness”, such as couch surfing or people sleeping in cars.
Ever since the eviction ban was lifted in early 2023, the homeless figures have skyrocketed.
In the month before the eviction ban was lifted, January 2023, there were 11,754 people in homeless services in Ireland.
The comments come on the same day as Minister for Housing James Browne said that the government is likely to walk back the government’s pledge to end homelessness by 2030.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Minister Browne said, “the commitment is to get that homeless figure down as quickly as possible but there won’t be a specific timeline in relation to it.”
He said that increasing the supply of housing was key to solving the issue, with Taoiseach Micheál Martin saying that the free market and less state intervention was needed to help beat Ireland’s persistent housing and homeless crisis.
The Dublin Simon Community said, “the crisis is deepening, yet thousands of people remain trapped in emergency accommodation with no clear pathway to a home.”
“The homelessness crisis is not an inevitability—it is a direct result of political choices. What people need are able pathways out of homelessness—homes they can afford, security they can rely on, and policies that prioritise long-term solutions. People need hope and security, not continued scarcity, unaffordability, and instability,” said Catherine Kenny, CEO of Dublin Simon Community. “The Government cannot continue to push homelessness down the agenda. It must become a central pillar of a new national housing strategy—anything less is an abdication of responsibility.”
“The government has been at pains to tell us that housing is the number one priority facing the country,” said Erene Williamson, of the Salvation Army’s Homeless Services.
“We have seen other issues hog the limelight and again remove the focus from what deserves to be the number one social issue.
“We are calling for a new, interdepartmental, dedicated action plan particularly across the housing and social welfare departments.”
The government must immediately develop a family homelessness strategy and reintroduce a no-fault eviction ban, according to Social Democrats TD Rory Hearne.
Social Democrats TD Rory Hearne said the figures are “a stain on society” and a “damning” indictment of failed housing policy by successive governments.
“The homelessness U-turn is just the latest in a long line of broken promises on housing, such as Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael’s spectacular failure to deliver the 40,000 homes they claimed would be completed last year.
“Contrast this with the Taoiseach signalling a review of Rent Pressure Zones, a measure that will benefit landlords and investment funds,” he said.
“The real tragedy is that this and previous governments have allowed the issue of family homelessness to become normalised. This is something we should refuse to accept, which is why I will constantly challenge the government on this issue.
“The question must be asked: why is the government not willing to protect tenants when we know that the number one cause of family homelessness is evictions from the private rental sector?
“The Social Democrats are calling on the government to urgently develop a family homelessness strategy, and reinstate the no-fault eviction ban to protect renters.
“Homelessness is a human tragedy. It should not be tolerated in any properly functioning society,” the Dublin North-West TD said.
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