The latest round of record homeless numbers has been described as “another shameful milestone and an indictment of this government” according to Social Democrats housing spokesperson Rory Hearne.
The Dublin North-West TD was speaking after the Department of Housing revealed there were 16,353 people living in homeless emergency accommodation at the end of August, with 5,145 of them being children.
“These record numbers are a shameful milestone for a government that continues to deprioritise homelessness,” he said.
“These numbers are the direct result of policy choices made by the government. This is what happens when you do not protect vulnerable renters, or prevent them from becoming homeless.”
“Further analysis of figures released last month shows 1,559 families with 3,273 children have spent longer than 6 months in emergency accommodation, a 246% increase since 2022.”
The Soc Dems housing spokesperson said “3,773 families with 7,923 children presented as homeless in the 12 months from July ‘24 to July ‘25 – that is 22 children every day. Since this latest government was elected in December, 6,600 children have been made homeless.”
He remarked, “the legacy of successive Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael governments is one of complete failures to prioritise ending homelessness.”
“The coalition has failed to protect families and children from evictions and skyrocketing rents, to deliver sufficient social and affordable housing, and to invest in prevention; in fact, it has undermined and gutted the one scheme that was reducing homelessness – the Tenant in Situ scheme.”
Hearne said that next week’s Budget must reinstate the scheme, saying that homeless figures have only increased since the government cut funding for the measure.
“These abject failures are intolerable and inexcusable – rising levels of homelessness will continue to outpace any social and affordable housing delivery from the State unless there is a radical shift in government policy.”
“These numbers are real families and real children experiencing serious trauma day in and day out – their plight cannot be ignored any longer,” he said.