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Record-Level Homelessness In April

Friday, 26 May 2023 14:17

By Kamron Clarke X @kamron_clarke

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Homelessness figures reached over 12,000 for the first time ever.

The number of homeless people in the midlands has once again hit a record high.

142 adults accessed emergency accommodation in the region in April, an increase of five on the month previous.

60 adults were without permanent accommodation in Westmeath, which was the only county in the midlands to see a reduction in homelessness, but levels there still remains the highest.

That's followed by 55 in Offaly, which is an increase of three, and the adult homelessness figures jumped by four in Laois to 27.

46 families accessed emergency accommodation in the region last month, along with 70 children.

Nationally, homelessness figures reached over 12,000 for the first time in history - 12,259 people were without permanent accommodation in April, 3,594 of which were children.

Multiple homeless charities have commented on the figures - DePaul described it as an appalling milestone, while Focus Ireland says this is the first impact from the lifting of the eviction ban almost two months ago.

The figure doesn't include asylum seekers, refugees, women in refuge centres and the so-called hidden homeless.

Social Democrat TD Roisin Shortall says the Government must act to fix a housing crisis which is being hopped on by the far right to stir up anti-migrant tension:

Sinn Féin's Housing Spokesperson Eoin O'Broin believes this can be traced back to one policy measure:

Focus Ireland is calling on the Government to start treating homelessness as "an emergency". 

The Head of Communications with Focus Ireland, Roughan McNamara, says people becoming homeless has become a normal part of society here: 

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