“Record Homeless Numbers Are a Shocking Indictment of a Government That Has Failed” – TD Michael Fitzmaurice

Independent Ireland has expressed outrage over the latest figures on homelessness, which reveal that more than 15,000 people are now in emergency accommodation in Ireland, including 4,658 children. This represents the highest number of homeless individuals since records began, marking a stark indictment of the government’s failure to address the housing and homelessness crisis.

Speaking on behalf of Independent Ireland, TD Michael Fitzmaurice said:

“These record-breaking figures are not just statistics—they represent real people enduring unimaginable hardship. It is incomprehensible and scandalous that, in a country with repeated budget surpluses, over 15,000 people, including thousands of children, are homeless. This crisis is a shocking indictment of a government that has utterly failed to provide the most basic of needs in a modern society"

Fitzmaurice continued:
“It is simply unforgivable that thousands of children remain in emergency accommodation. We have failed the most vulnerable, and this government has seemed intent on ensuring homes have been provided for everybody else instead of focusing on the most basic need for a child in this country to have a roof over their head, a place to call home.

"Additionally, many thousands of young people have been failed by successive governments. They are unable to buy their own homes, many unable to find or afford a place to rent, and are being left with no alternative but to leave their families and leave their country behind. It is a damning failure on so many levels and despite over a decade or more of promises the situation continues to deteriorate. It is shameful”

A Wake-Up Call for Action
The figures, published by the Department of Housing, show a 12.4% year-on-year increase in homelessness, with 15,199 people now in emergency accommodation. The numbers do not include rough sleepers, couch-surfers, or asylum seekers awaiting accommodation. The crisis is particularly acute in Dublin, where 10,925 people, including 3,575 children, are homeless—a 10% increase from last year.

Independent Ireland leader Michael Collins said:
“This is more than a housing issue—it’s a moral issue. The government has failed not only to provide social and affordable housing but also to protect those at risk of eviction. These figures must be a wake-up call to prioritise housing and homelessness as an urgent national emergency.”

Preventative Measures and Urgent Solutions
Independent Ireland has repeatedly called for a housing emergency to be declared, which would enable emergency legislation to be enacted to address the issue.

TD Michael Fitzmaurice concluded:
“As the government negotiates its future direction, this crisis must be at the top of the agenda. Independent Ireland will continue to fight for practical solutions and ensure that those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness are not forgotten. We need a government that is willing to take bold, decisive action to protect families, children, and the most vulnerable members of our society.”