Darragh O’Brien has said he cannot ‘give a date’ for when the number of homeless people will stop increasing. 

Today, the Department of Housing released new figures revealing that the level of homelessness in Ireland has hit yet another record high. 

In August, there were a record 14,486 people living in emergency accommodation - 57 higher than there were in July. 

By comparison, in August last year, there were 12,691 homeless people - meaning the figures have shot up by 14% in the space of a year. 

Speaking to Newstalk, Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien said the solution to the crisis is to continue to ramp up the construction of new homes.  

“If we can continue the upward production of homes and the trajectory that we’re on to deliver more new social homes again this year, I think that is really going to help us in levelling off the number of people who are in emergency accommodation and then start to see a decrease,” he said. 

“I can’t give you a month, I can’t give you a date.” 

A construction worker at a site on George's Street Dublin, 16-03-2021. Image: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews

Finnish Professor Juha Kaakinen, who is credited with helping to almost end homelessness in his home country, said he is confused by the figures in Ireland.

Finland has a similar population to Ireland but has only 3,400 people registered as homeless. 

“It’s very puzzling to see these kinds of figures in a country where it’s economy is so strong,” he said. 

“Of course, what happens very much depends on Government policy.” 

The Finnish Department of the Environment aims to “end long-term homelessness by 2027” through a model called ‘Housing First’ - a policy in which homeless people are offered a place to live by the Government.

Main image: Minister for Housing Darragh O'Brien. Picture by: Alamy.com