Focus Ireland’s 2025 Annual Report shows it supported record 18,800 people as the deepening homelessness crisis continues Record 4,787 children among those supported by the charity’s services in 2025

The number of people who engaged with Focus Ireland services increased by 4.4% from 18,000 in 2024. The charity also supported 4,787 children across its services, an increase of 6.3% from 4,502 the previous year. A total of 2,164 families engaged with Focus Ireland services during 2025, up 5.4% from 2024.

The Annual Report shows that Focus Ireland supported 702 households to exit homelessness and settle into secure accommodation during the year. This included families, young people and adult only households. A further 352 households who were on the brink of homelessness were supported to keep their homes.

The figures come against the backdrop of a further year in which the national homeless crisis deepened. By the end of 2025, 16,734 people were living in emergency homeless accommodation across Ireland, including more than 5,000 children.

Focus Ireland CEO Pat Dennigan said:

“During another profoundly challenging year, Focus Ireland supported a record 18,800 people who were homeless or at real risk of losing their homes. Behind these figures are thousands of children and adults living with the uncertainty, disruption and trauma of homelessness.”

“Included in these figures are the 702 households we supported to move out of homelessness. That means 702 households were supported to leave behind the trauma and instability of homelessness and begin rebuilding their lives in a secure home. Every successful move represents months, and sometimes years, of skilled and persistent work by our frontline teams. It involves listening to people, understanding their circumstances, helping them navigate complex systems and remaining alongside them when progress is difficult.”

Looking back on previous years Mr Dennigan added:

“When we launched our Annual Report just 5 years ago in September 2021, 8,475 people were homeless. During the last five years, Ireland has been wealthier than we have ever been in our history, so failing to reduce homelessness over that period would rightly have been seen as a failure. It was not reduced. Instead, the lack of urgency and flawed policies of successive Governments have allowed homelessness to more than double to the latest figure of 17,527 people (a 106% rise). It is vitally important to remember that it does not have to be like this, homelessness is a solvable problem, last year we solved it for two households every day. But we can’t do it alone. We need the Government to be committed to far more radical and urgent action”.

The 2025 Annual Report also reflects on the passing of Focus Ireland’s founder and Life President, Sr Stanislaus Kennedy, during the charity’s 40th anniversary year.

Mr Dennigan added:

“We continue to feel the grief of losing Sr Stan, while also feeling immense gratitude for the organisation she founded and everything achieved over the past 40 years. Stan’s conviction that homelessness is not inevitable was a call to action for government and for organisations like ours to remain ambitious, accountable and guided by evidence.”

Case study – Savannah Nguyen

After becoming homeless while pregnant, Focus Ireland Lived Experience Ambassador Savannah Nguyen and her young son spent more than a year living in emergency accommodation and a Family Hub. With support from Focus Ireland, she was able to access education opportunities, navigate the challenges of grief and single parenthood, and ultimately secure a permanent home for her family. Reflecting on her journey, Savannah said:

“Focus Ireland gave me hope and support when I needed it the most but wasn’t strong enough to ask or know what was possible. I am absolutely delighted and relieved that my son and I have now got the keys to a home. This is truly life changing for us and gives us the chance to move forward with hope, security and excitement.”

Other figures from Focus Ireland’s work in 2025

• 9,888 customers engaged with Focus Ireland’s Advice and Information services
• Approximately 420 young people were supported by Focus Ireland’s Youth and Aftercare services.
• 693 adults were supported by the Preparation for Education, Training and Employment service.
• Focus Housing Association delivered 129 homes in 2025, bringing the total number delivered since 2021 to 766.
• Focus Housing Association’s national housing portfolio grew to 1,798 homes across 17 counties.