Over the past two decades the homelessness sector in Ireland has undergone significant transformation in response to the needs of homeless households and those at risk of homelessness.
Providing well organised, co-ordinated and integrated homeless services to support individuals and families experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness is a key priority of Government as set out in Housing for All.
Homelessness
If you are experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless, please contact your local authority for information on available services. To find you nearest local authority, click here.
For more information on other supports and services available nationally to help individuals who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, please see the Homeless Prevention Service Directory.
Each month the government releases statistics on the numbers of people living in emergency accommodation. This figure is often referred to as the number of homeless people in the country. Find out more about the numbers and data around homelessness in Ireland from the Department of Housing Local Government and Heritage website.
There are a number of commitments within the current Irish policy framework to meet the housing and health needs of people who are homeless.
In June 2021, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage with the support of the Government, signed the ‘Lisbon Declaration on the European Platform on Combating Homelessness’ . The declaration commits all signatories, Ireland included, to working towards the ending of homelessness by 2030. In signing the Declaration, Ireland has agreed to promote the prevention of homelessness, access to permanent housing and the provision of enabling support services to those who are homeless.
Launched in September 2021, Housing for All is the current Government plan for housing. It is comprised of four pathways to achieve overarching objectives. Pathway 2 Eradicating Homelessness, Increasing Social Housing Delivery and Supporting Social Inclusion contains actions directly relating to homelessness. It focuses on reducing the number of homeless families and individuals by working with local authorities, Non-Government Organisations, Approved Housing Bodies and the HSE, to support people experiencing homelessness into long-term sustainable accommodation.
In line with a commitment in Housing for All, the National Homeless Action Committee (NHAC) was established in Q4 2021. The overarching objective of NHAC is to ensure that a renewed emphasis is brought to collaborating across Government to implement actions in Housing for All, along with bringing better coherence and coordination of homeless-related services in delivering policy measures and actions to address homelessness. Beyond this, the Committee will also have a role in addressing emerging homeless-related issues and in developing further responses.
The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage chairs the Committee which meets on a quarterly basis.
Membership of the Committee comprises representatives from key Government Departments, State agencies and bodies involved in addressing homelessness.
In December 2021 the National Implementation Plan for Housing First was launched. Housing First recognises that a stable home provides the basis for recovery in other areas. With Housing First, the priority is to support a person who has experienced homelessness into permanent housing as quickly as possible, without any preconditions around addiction or mental health treatment. The Housing First model aims to provide a person sleeping rough, or someone who has been long-term homeless, with their own secure accommodation as well as access to intensive and specialised support services. This follows on from the work achieved under the 2018 National Implementation Plan for Housing First.
The Youth Homelessness Strategy is a 3-year strategy working towards ending homelessness for young people aged 18-24.
Informing the entire approach to this Strategy is a recognition of the critical importance of interagency supports. These supports are required to address the complex combination of social, health and economic needs of young people experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness.
The Strategy identifies certain groups within the 18-24 age group who are particularly at risk of becoming homeless and are disproportionately represented in the young homeless population.
In June 2024, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage launched the Youth Homelessness Strategy 2023-2025 18-month Progress Report. The 18-month Progress Report sets out achievements to date and identifies the priorities for the 18 months ahead.
The National Strategic Plan to Improve the Health of People Experiencing Homelessness in Ireland (2024-2027) sets out a number of principles, priorities, and actions aimed at supporting a collaborative response to the homelessness crisis, including the delivery of planned, long-term action and integrated quality healthcare initiatives that meet the needs of the changing profile of people experiencing homelessness.
The Supports Guide for Young People brings together information on accessing a range of supports and services for young people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness including:
- Social Welfare and Financial Supports
- Housing Options
- Employment and Education Supports
- Health and Childcare Supports
- Homeless Prevention Service Directory – if you are homeless or at risk of homelessness, The Homeless Prevention Service Directory can provide more information on supports and services available nationally to assist you.
- Housing Options Guide (link to new page)
This document is a guide to the housing options that are available through local authorities including accommodation for older people. The document is an initial source of information. All local authorities have websites where additional and more detailed information can be found on all the options contained in this document.