Homeless figures for Kilkenny revealed as another national record is set
There were 37 people recorded as being homeless in Kilkenny during the last full week of January, according to the latest report from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
This figure is five fewer than the previous report (42).
Across the South-East region, 221 people accessed emergency accommodation in January.
The 25-44 age group were the group most impacted by homelessness in the region.
Nationally, 11,754 people were accessing emergency accommodation during this period, a new record high.
Despite being a worthwhile indicator, these statistics actually fail to reflect the full extent of the local and national homeless crisis.
This is because government homeless statistics relate only to households provided with emergency accommodation by the local authorities.
They do not include households frequently described as the ‘hidden homeless’ that may be sleeping rough, living in refuges, or staying with parents, relatives and friends in overcrowded conditions.
As many as 290,000 people in Ireland are likely to be experiencing hidden homelessness, recent Simon Communities Ireland research shows.
The Department of Housing’s homelessness statistics are published on a monthly basis.