Thirty-one people have died within homeless services in Dublin this year.
That is an increase on 2019 which saw 34 deaths across the whole year, according to the Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE).
It says intensive liaison between the DRHE, the Health Service Executive and Tusla has taken place as a result of the "unprecedented spike" of seven deaths that happened in the week of July 19th.
One of the deaths was in a hospice where a woman in her 50s was receiving palliative care for cancer.
She was previously a long-term resident in a supported accommodation facility for the homeless.
A second death was a young woman aged in her 30s, who appears to have taken her own life in a supported accommodation facility managed by an NGO.
A young woman in her 20s also died in a supported accommodation facility, while a fourth woman (19) died in a facility that is managed by a private operator on behalf the DRHE.
A fifth person, a middle-aged man, also died in a facility managed by a private operator on behalf of the DRHE.
A sixth death was that of a young man in his 20s who was found dead while sleeping rough.
"He had no connection with Dublin and never sought emergency accommodation. He had been released from prison the day before his death", the report says.
And the seventh death was a man aged in his 30s who appears to have taken his own life at the home of a family member.
He was registered with the DRHE as homeless, but had not taken up emergency accommodation.
The DHRE adds: "While the exact cause of death will ultimately be a matter for an inquest in each case, it does appear at this stage that drugs and alcohol intoxication were a big factor in most of these tragic deaths."
"Deaths in such tragic circumstances are devastating for the families involved and we offer our heartfelt condolences to them.
"Our thoughts are also with the staff in the various facilities who had to deal directly with these tragedies and our own staff who are working with Homeless households every day and who would have known some of the people who died."
"Truly shocking"
The report also says there were 871 families in emergency accommodation at the end of June.
This is the lowest number since April 2016, and is also a reduction of 22 families on the May figure.
While the number of children resident in emergency accommodation at the end of June had dropped by 699 to 1,979 since January.
In July 2018, the figure was 2,894 and in January this year it was 2,678.
Also at the end of June there were 354 families - down 59 from May - in hotel accommodation.
This is the lowest number since April 2015, and down from a high of 871 back in March 2017.
Inner City Helping Homeless (ICHH) CEO Anthony Flynn said the figures are "truly shocking."
"A total of 31 who were homeless have died since the beginning of the year in Dublin with July seeing an extraordinary spike.
"100 individuals have died in service in the last 2.5 years.
"With many deaths being declared as unknown, this frankly isn't good enough.
"Questions must be raised surrounding these tragedies and answers must be forthcoming.
"This cannot become acceptable, appropriate wrap round supports need to be put in place for all of those who are vulnerable with appropriate mental health supports on entering homeless services."
Anyone affected by issued raised in this article can contact The Samaritans on 116 123 or e-mail jo@samaritans.ie
