As homelessness reaches new record of 16,353, Focus Ireland calls for urgent action to increase social housing supply and prevent long-term homelessness
New figures issued by the Department of Housing for August show another record total of 16,353 people now homeless. This marks an increase of 295 people for August, compared with the previous month. The figures show homelessness has risen 13% in the past year. For the month of August there were 5,145 children and 2,391 families homeless.
Commenting on the figures and the importance of organisations like Focus Ireland CEO Pat Dennigan said: “To deal with homelessness we need to provide housing but also provide support to get people out of homelessness. Both go hand in hand. That’s a role that we are skilled in. Early intervention is key, and our prevention services support many households to avoid homelessness before it begins. I would urge anyone in housing difficulty to contact Focus Ireland for advice and support.”
Speaking about the upcoming Government Housing and Homelessness Plan, due to be published in October, Mr Dennigan stressed that it must be a turning point.
He added: “We need more than modest adjustments—it must deliver a bold and transformative shift in housing and homelessness policy. The scale of the crisis demands a strategy that is ambitious, targeted, and capable of delivering real impact for the thousands of people currently without a home, and in particular the 5,145 children who are growing up in emergency accommodation.
Speaking about the issue of supply, he explained: “We urgently need to see social housing supply increased to the Government’s new target of 12,000 homes per year. These homes must be delivered in a way that has maximum impact on reducing long-term homelessness. The Programme for Government 2025 includes a commitment to focus social housing allocations on getting families out of long-term homelessness. To drive the delivery of that commitment the Government should set a deadline for ending long-term family homelessness.”
He added: “The approval system for financing social homes must be aligned with actual housing need. That means building more one-bed homes for single adults and larger homes for families stuck in homelessness, including Traveller and migrant families who are disproportionately affected. New social housing must also be prioritised in urban areas, where the housing crisis and homelessness are most acute.”
Mr. Dennigan continued: “We have also urged the Government to take immediate steps in Budget 2026 to prevent more people from becoming homeless. This includes reviewing the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) to ensure it reflects current market rents and restoring full funding to the Tenant-In-Situ scheme so that more households can be protected from losing their homes. In recent months, the scheme has been drastically scaled back, causing local authorities to pause purchases and leaving many tenants already homeless and countless others facing the real threat of eviction.
“It was encouraging to learn this week that the Minister has instructed local authorities telling them to proceed with more acquisitions for 2026, giving some certainty to both vulnerable tenants and landlords. However, this ‘stop start’ approach to what is a proven safety net for people at risk of entering homelessness remains deeply concerning.”
Focus Ireland has made a detailed submission to the Government on the forthcoming Housing and Homelessness Plan and will continue to work closely with the State and NGOs to ensure the plan delivers real change.
Conor Culkin (he/him)
Communications Officer
0879361716