The number of people accessing homeless services has passed 11,000 for the first time.

The Department of Housing figures show there were 11,397 people in emergency accommodation at the end of October.

The figure includes 3,480 children and 1,601 families.

The overall figure is up more than 400 on last month – which was in itself a record.

It is the largest increase since May 2020 and marks a near-30% increase on this time last year.

"Completely unacceptable"

“11,397 people facing into Christmas in emergency homeless accommodation is completely unacceptable,” said Simon Communities spokesman Wayne Stanley.

“The Simon Communities across Ireland will be there for those who need them but we have to see an end to this crisis.”

He said the figures highlight the need for the current eviction ban and urged the Government to make 2023 “the year of delivery” for social and housing.

Housing

The Simon Communities are urging the Government to focus on some of the 166,000 vacant homes around the country to address the crisis, while also ramping up the tenant in-situ purchase scheme.

“Too many families and individuals are facing a bleak Christmas this year,” said Mr Stanley.

“The weeks ahead will be tough, and it will get tougher unless the Government delivers in the coming months and throughout 2023.

“2023 needs to be the year of delivery to address the homelessness crisis. We include in this delivery, the holding of a referendum to insert the right to housing in the constitution.

“We believe that this is necessary to drive the required systemic change to our housing system.”

He said the Simon Communities will be joining tomorrow’s Raise the Roof protest in Dublin to help secure that change.

Raise the Roof

The Raise the Roof national Rally for Housing is backed by a host of different groups including trade unions, housing and homeless agencies and political parties.

It is backed by a host of different groups including trade unions, housing and homeless agencies and political parties.

ICTU has labelled the housing crisis, “the most important issue that the trade union movement is campaigning on.”

“The crisis affects all strands of society, not just union members and workers but young people who have been let down by the State and cannot afford to buy a house or even rent one because of an extreme shortage of rental homes and soaring rents,” said ICTU General Secretary Owen Reidy.

The rally gets underway at Parnell Square in Dublin from 1pm tomorrow.