Homelessness surpasses addiction calls, says Ana Liffey report

Michael Bolton

Housing needs and homelessness have overtaken substance use as the most common reason people seek support from Ana Liffey, their 2025 annual report has shown.

New figures from the charity show that housing-related issues accounted for 27.8 per cent of all support needs in 2025, ahead of substance use and treatment at 23 per cent.

Social support and welfare made up 15.3 per cent, training and education was just over 10 per cent, and physical health was nine per cent.

The low-threshold, harm reduction charity has centres in Dublin, the Midwest and the North East of Ireland and operates a number of outreach programmes for people experiencing the profound impact of social harms.

Speaking ahead of the launch, Ana Liffey CEO, Dawn Russell, said, “Supporting people out of long-term homelessness is an important goal for us at Ana Liffey, and we are supported by both Dublin Regional Homeless Executive and Limerick City Council to do our work.

"Our Dublin Private Emergency Accommodation Assertive Case Management (PACT) Team and Limerick Rough Sleeper Project work at the coal face of homelessness, meeting people who are in crisis and supporting them to stabilise their lives and access supported accommodation and plan for their futures, while they face incredibly challenging circumstances and with limited resources.

“Increased economic pressures have undoubtedly been the reason for some of the people we see ending up in homelessness. The sense that we are all only one paycheck away from the risk of homelessness really resonates at the moment.

"We are also working with younger people who have become homeless after leaving State care and women who have nowhere to live as they flee domestic violence.”