Rising demand for homeless services across Longford according to leading charity
The Depaul charity said there is a rising demand in relation to help people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness with 31 people supported in Longford last year.
More than 30 homeless people were supported and 10 people were successfully moved out of homelessness in county Longford last year, according to a leading charity.
Depaul, who support people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness across the island Ireland, has said they also helped 17 service users in Longford who reported significant mental health needs.
The leading cross-border charity has today launched its 2025 Impact Report, ‘Frontline Prevention – Shaping the Present, Looking to the Future.’
The report outlines a year of significant progress against a backdrop of rising demand with 31 people supported in Longford.
Other figures published by Depaul included that they delivered 778 key-working sessions (out of 75,254 nationally) to address severe mental health and other complex needs.
However, the charity warns of an ever-growing demand from families and a sharp rise in mental health concerns.
There was incident of suicidal ideation responded to by Longford teams and three overdoses recorded in Longford services, with staff administering Naloxone to save one life.
Depaul said the figures demonstrate what can be achieved when people are supported into permanent housing, but also highlight the need for a stronger focus on homelessness prevention, earlier intervention and a clear pathway out of temporary accommodation.
Speaking of Depaul’s impact nationally in 2025, CEO David Carroll said: " [The year 2025 was a year where our mission was put to the ultimate test.
"We demonstrated that homelessness can be temporary by moving more people (1,452 individuals and 914 households) into permanent homes than ever before, while advocating for a greater need for community cohesion to foster a sense of belonging.
"But at the same time, we saw a 28% increase in families coming through our doors and a 93% rise in service users reporting mental health concerns, which demonstrates the growing pressure on our services."
Mr Carroll said they cannot sleepwalk into accepting homelessness figures as the new normal.
"We need to intervene earlier to prevent homelessness, reduce reliance on temporary accommodation and ensure people have a clear pathway into permanent housing. Strong communities result in less homelessness.
"To truly end homelessness, we must combine increased housing supply with the mental health, addiction and community supports people need to build stable lives and become part of thriving communities. ”