Homelessness in Ireland

Educational Resources on Homelessness

Homelessness in Ireland

Homelessness in Ireland is a complex issue which affects thousands of adults and children across the country.

On this page, we've put together some of the broader figures to help you get a sense of the scale of homelessness in Ireland and the number of people whose lives it impacts.

After that, you'll have an opportunity to explore what can cause homelessness in Ireland and better understand why so many people are at risk of, or are experiencing, homelessness.

Peter McVerry Trust, which operates the Homelessness in Ireland website, supported over 12,000 unique individuals in 2022 and was active in 28 of the 31 Local Authorities across Ireland.

13,531

13,531 people accessed emergency accommodation in Ireland in January 2024.

Homelessness in Ireland,
in Numbers


To help raise awareness of the magnitude of the homelessness situation in Ireland, we have gathered related data, information and resources on this website.

Emergency Accommodation

Hostels, Family Hubs or other temporary accommodation

13,531

The most recent number of people accessing emergency accommodation in Ireland.

Sleeping Rough

83

The latest count of people sleeping rough found 83 people across Dublin city centre in Spring 2023.

Year On Year

1,777

There are 1,777 more people accessing emergency accommodation in comparison to January 2023.

Children

4,027

The number of children accessing emergency accommodation in Ireland, as of January 2024.

Under 24

5,617

The number of people under 24 accessing emergency accommodation in Ireland, as of January 2024.

Adults

9,504

The number of adults accessing emergency accommodation in Ireland, as of January 2023.

Month On Month

213

The number of people accessing emergency accommodation is down 213 individuals on December 2023.

How did this happen?

Homelessness is more than the result of individual issues. It can often involve a combination of social, economic and individual factors.

What causes Homelessness?