Homeless figures continue to climb in Louth

The number of homeless people in Louth and the North East region continues to climb higher according to the latest figures released today.

198 people accessed emergency accommodation in the North East during the week of 23–29 October 2023, with 175 of them in Louth. This is up from 185 in the North East in September, which included 163 in Louth.

Of the 198 adults, 33 were aged 18-24; 106 aged 25-44; 49 aged 45-64 and 10 aged 65 and over.

42 families, which included 89 child dependents also accessed emergency accommodation in the North East in October.

This is down from 34 families with 83 child dependents in September.

Nationally, 9,188 adults and 3,991 child dependants were recorded as homeless in October, giving a total of 13,179 homeless people, up from 12,827 reported in September.

Commenting on the latest figures, Sinn Féin housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin TD, said:

“The report shows that in October every single category of homelessness increased on the previous month. Adult homelessness was up by 265 people, child homelessness up by 87, family homelessness was up by 47, single person homelessness was up by 118 and pensioner homelessness was up 6.

“This is the largest number of people in Department of Housing funded emergency accommodation since records began. And as we know this figure doesn’t include women and children in Tusla funded domestic violence refuges, people with status trapped in Direct Provision using it as emergency accommodation, those in religious run hostels or rough sleepers. The true level of homelessness is much higher than today’s reported figure.

“It is simply not acceptable for the number of adults and children forced into emergency accommodation to rise every single month. The Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien must urgently set out what he intends to do to bring this crisis to an end.”