29th May 2026
The latest figures from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage show 17,548 men, women and children were living in emergency accommodation in April 2026. This is yet another increase of 31 people since March 2026.
Over the 12 months since April 2025, the data reveals a staggering increase of 1,968 (12.6%) in emergency accommodation:
- 2,707 were families, marking a 20.6% (462) increase over the year
- 5,604 were children, showing a 17.4% (829) rise in the same period
- 2,117 were 18-24-year-olds, marking a 14.49% (268) increase over the year
- 265 were over 65-year-olds, marking a 8.61% (21) increase over the year
In addition, the figures show a 62.4% increase in the number of single adults living in emergency accommodation compared to five years ago in 2021.
Ber Grogan, Executive Director of the Simon Communities of Ireland, said:
While the overall numbers have increased yet again, we welcome the decrease in homelessness among single households as well as those who are over 65. These are two cohorts of people experiencing homelessness whom the Simon Communities of Ireland have tirelessly advocated.
Over the last two years, an average of four people a day have entered homelessness and more people are spending longer in homeless accommodation due to a lack of move-on options. The long-term impacts on peoples’ physical and mental wellbeing are devastating and will have a direct impact on other departments services such as health and mental health.
Since the changes to rent regulations were announced last summer, the Simon Communities of Ireland has been warning that the extortionate prices of rent, and not addressing the affordability of rents, would lead to higher numbers of people being forced to experience the trauma of homelessness.
Headlines stating that ‘rents rise’ make it sound as though rents are increasing automatically, in a vacuum. The reality is that there are people behind the decisions to keep raising rents. More accurate headlines and debates in the Dáil would be ‘landlords raise rents to highest ever levels’. Why are large landlords exempt from putting forward solutions to end the homeless crisis when they are a direct cause of rising numbers?
We will only end homelessness by having all stakeholders at the table. Unless the Government, local authorities, landlords and homeless services come together to address the issue, we will continue to see more people entering homelessness each month.
ENDS
For further information contact Aileen Gaskin 086 166 2160 / communications@simoncommunity.com
