More than 14,000 people nationally accessed emergency accommodation at Christmas.
Homelessness is on the rise again in the midlands.
The Department of Housing's latest figures show there were 268 people in the region who accessed emergency accommodation in December.
The number of people considered homeless in Laois, Offaly, and Westmeath last month is 12% higher than in November.
This follows a 4% jump from October to November.
201 adults accessed emergency accommodation in the region last month, 85 in Westmeath, 63 in Offaly, and 36 in Laois.
67 children were also registered as homeless in the midlands, which represents a 3% increase on the month previous.
Natoinally, there's been a slight decrease in the numbers registered as homeless - however more than 14,800 people spent Christmas in emergency accommodation.
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