Twenty-two adults access emergency accommodation in September

There were 22 adults accessing emergency accommodation during the month of September in counties Cavan and Monaghan.

That’s according to the latest Monthly Homeless Report published, which found that 12,827 individuals nationwide were accessing emergency accommodation, an increase of 136 or 1.1% on the August 2023 total.

This includes an increase of 132 single adults and six families accessing emergency accommodation during the count week - from Monday, September 18 to Sunday, September 24 (inclusive).

Cavan and Monaghan are included in the North East Region with County Louth for reporting purposes. The total number in that region was 185: 163 in County Louth and 22 in Cavan and Monaghan. It represents a two per cent increase on the previous month.

The Minister for Housing, Darragh O’Brien, last week published the report, along with the Homeless Quarterly Progress Report for Quarter #3 2023.

The quarterly report showed that a total of 566 households exited emergency accommodation in the third quarter of the year and 713 households were prevented from entering emergency accommodation, by way of a tenancies being created.

These are year on year increases of 4.2% and 16.3% respectively when compared with the same period last year.

Commenting on the reports, Minister O’Brien, said: “Those without a home remain the top priority for this Government. My Department is making funding of €242 million available for the delivery of homeless services in 2024 – a 12.6% increase on the Budget 2023 allocation and we have been clear that there will be no obstacle in funding much needed services.

“Already we have seen that the Tenant in Situ scheme is effectively preventing people who receive a notice to quit from entering into emergency accommodation and we are extending this scheme into next year also.”

The Minister stated that funding for next year will “ensure local authorities can continue to provide emergency accommodation and others services to households experiencing homelessness”.

Acknowledging the high number of homeless people in the State, the Minister said the reasons are “varied and complex”.

“The government, local authorities and those in our NGO sectors are working together and making every effort to reduce homelessness. We can see some of this hard work paying off in terms of the significant increases in preventing people from entering emergency accommodation and helping people to exit.

“However, the situation is very challenging and tackling this issue is a Government priority. We know that increasing the supply of new homes, particularly social and affordable homes, is key to tackling homelessness,” he said.

Some 22,443 homes were completed in the first nine months of 2023, a nine per cent increase on the same period in 2022, according to figures published by the Central Statistics Office last week.

This is the highest number of completions recorded for the first nine months of any year since the CSO data series began in 2011.

Commencement figures, published by the Department of Housing last week, also show that 23,923 new homes commenced construction in the first nine months of 2023 – an increase of 14.3% on the same period in 2022.

“So we know that supply is increasing and we are going in the right direction,” said Minister O’Brien.

“There is a strong pipeline of over 22,600 social homes either on site or at various stages of design and procurement. All of this will help provide more housing solutions, including for those who are at risk of homelessness,” he added.