Numbers in emergency accommodation hits record high

The number of people in emergency accommodation in July was the highest since records began, the Simon Communities in Ireland has said.

Figures for July from the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government show there were 6,525 people in emergency accommodation last month, a year-on-year increase of 40 per cent.

The year-on-year increase for children was 70 per cent, with 2,348 children in emergency accommodation. The number of families was 1,130, an increase of 72 per cent.

The numbers for July mark the first time since figures began to be collected that more than 6,500 people were in emergency accommodation, Simon Communities said in a statement.

“While numbers continue to be highest in Dublin, we are also seeing increasing numbers and the impact of the crisis all around the country.”

Spokeswoman Niamh Randall called on the Government to immediately prioritise the implementation of its action plan for housing and homelessness, Rebuilding Ireland.