'Extremely concerning': Increase in number of children accessing emergency accommodation in Limerick

THE number of children in Limerick and across the Mid-West who are accessing emergency accommodation is continuing to rise, new figures have confirmed

According to the Department of Housing, 394 children in Limerick and Clare accessed emergency accommodation in July, an increase of 21 compared to June.

Nationwide, 5,659 children accessed emergency accommodation in July, a record high.

There was also an increase in the number of adults accessing local authority managed emergency accommodation across the region, rising to 782 in July, compared to 752 in June.

A majority of these adults are between the ages of 25 and 44.

Commenting on the latest figures, a spokesperson for Mid West Simon emphasised that the Mid-West region should not be forgotten in the national conversation.

“The region continues to face significant pressure across Limerick, Clare and Tipperary, with a particularly acute need for suitable emergency and long-term accommodation.

“While the national figures are extremely concerning, it is important that the Mid-West picture is not overlooked when considering the scale of the crisis.”

During July, a total of 43 adults in the Mid-West accessed Temporary Emergency Accommodation (TEA), which is emergency accommodation with no (or minimal) support.

The Mid-West saw the highest number of adults accessing TEA in the country, even above Dublin.

“The fact that the Mid-West has a high number of people recorded in TEA points to the shortage of accommodation in the region,” The spokesperson for Mid West Simon explained.

“The July figures should therefore be seen as a call for continued investment and coordination across the region. There is important work being done on the ground, but the scale of demand means that housing supply, homelessness prevention and access to appropriate supports all need to be strengthened if we are to see a sustained reduction in homelessness in the Mid West.

Focus Ireland CEO Pat Dennigan said the national figures are particularly concerning as thousands of children have just returned to school following the summer holidays.

“As children settle back into classrooms and young adults prepare to begin a new academic year in colleges and universities across the country, it is deeply troubling that so many are doing so while living in emergency accommodation.

“For children, homelessness can affect every aspect of school life, from attendance and concentration to friendships and wellbeing. To give a sense of the scale of this human crisis, more than 5,000 children are currently without a home, the equivalent of at least 220 primary school classes.

“We cannot allow a generation of young people to have their education and future opportunities undermined by the ongoing housing crisis,” he said.