Homelessness in Emergency Accommodation Reaches New Record High of 17,112 in January 2026.
The latest monthly Homelessness Report, published by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, shows that 17,112 people accessed local authority-managed emergency accommodation in January 2026, the highest figure recorded to date.
The report indicates that 11,793 adults and 5,319 children were in emergency accommodation during the month. The January total represents an increase of 378 compared with December 2025 (16,734).
Key figures (January 2026).
Adults: 11,793
Children: 5,319
Total: 17,112
In terms of nationality among adults in emergency accommodation, 5,897 were Irish, 3,572 were from outside the European Economic Area (EEA), and 2,324 were from within the EEA or the UK.
The report also shows that the largest adult age cohort was 25–44 years(6,232), and that the Dublin region accounted for the majority of adults in emergency accommodation (8,267).
Government response and measures:
Minister for Housing James Browne said he is “very conscious” of the rising levels of homelessness and described the situation as unacceptable. The Minister pointed to tenancy terminations as a key driver and said the Government is strengthening tenant protections, through recently enacted rental legislation, aimed at improving security of tenure and reducing the frequency of notices to quit.
The Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2026 was enacted this week and is due to apply to new tenancies created on or after March 1st 2026, introducing new measures intended to provide greater certainty and stability for renters.
Tipperary visit:
Minister Browne was speaking during a visit to Nenagh, in North Tipperary, where he viewed a new housing scheme nearing completion. The development is being delivered by ‘Respond‘ in partnership with Tipperary County Council, with construction by ‘WhiteBox Ltd‘.
Reactions from organisations and opposition.
Homelessness service providers again urged faster delivery of solutions that reduce homelessness, particularly for families and children. The Dublin Simon Community said the figures underline the need for measures that will have the greatest impact, while Focus Ireland described the latest record as deeply distressing, highlighting the number of children affected.
Separately, opposition representatives criticised the Government’s rental policy direction and called for emergency action to prevent further increases in homelessness, but failed to offer any real solutions.
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