As homelessness reaches a new record of 15,747, Focus Ireland calls for urgent review of HAP* to help prevent more families & individuals from losing their homes

The May figures also found 69 more children (4,844) and 28 more families (2,273) compared to April 2025. The figures show that homelessness has risen 11% in the last year when compared with May 2024.

Focus Ireland CEO Pat Dennigan said: “I regret to say that the new figures clearly show that the Government’s current approach to homelessness is failing. There needs to be far more urgency in the Government’s response to help end this terrible human crisis.’’

Mr. Dennigan said: “This should be a carefree time for children as they enjoy school holidays and the longer evenings. Instead of this, the harsh reality for many children who are homeless is that they are living in family hubs or hotels without anywhere suitable to play or have friends over. Focus Ireland Family Services are working hard every day to support children and families who are homeless and help them on a pathway to home, but we need more direct action by Government to end this crisis.”

Speaking about the urgent need for HAP (Housing Assistance Payment) reform, he explained: “While we welcomed the long-term benefits of some of the recently announced protections for tenants, we remain extremely concerned that the immediate effect will be a period of further rent inflation, leaving low-income households at an even more significant risk of losing their homes. For several years, the Government has been regulating rent levels but has taken no interest in the impact of rent increases on the almost 70,000 households that rely on HAP to sustain their home.”

He adds: “Over the last ten years, HAP levels have fallen well behind rent levels, pushing families into poverty, debt and serious risk of homelessness. There is plenty of quality information already available on HAP – including the very recent & excellent report investigating HAP by the Ombudsman – so we do not need a long, drawn out review in order to implement a number of key changes, including an increase of HAP rates, which immediately prevent many people from losing their rented homes. The fact that the Minister for Housing is in favour of such a review is both welcome and important. It is crucial that this review gets Cabinet approval and is undertaken and acted on quickly.”

Focus Ireland also stressed that the new Government “Housing Plan” – now delayed – must deliver a radical policy shift to provide a range of housing to meet the growing needs right across society.

He adds: ‘’We just heard this week that the new Housing and Homelessness Plan is now delayed until at least September. The nearly 5,000 children cannot be allowed to keep suffering in silence as their childhoods are stolen day by day. We need action now and there are some actions the Government could take immediately to improve the situation.”

Mr. Dennigan concluded: “In the first place the Department must stop talking about a ‘Housing Plan’ and commit to a “Housing and Homelessness Plan. For years Focus Ireland has been arguing that homelessness is not inevitable but is a consequence of the policies in place – and could be solved with better policies.

Focus Ireland has made a detailed submission to the Government in relation to new Housing Plan and intends to continue to work very closely with the State and related NGOs to help tackle the housing and homelessness more effectively.