The Minister for Housing, Mr. Simon Coveney,T.D. said “The most recent homeless figures for September are a reminder of the significant challenge that we face in tackling the homelessness crisis.”

Housing authority reports for a week in September 2016 identified the following numbers of individuals and families in receipt of State-funded emergency accommodation:

• 4,283 adult individuals;

• 1,173 families are included in this total, of which 1,014 are in the Dublin Region;

• 2,426 dependents are associated with these families.

• Total Homelessness adults and dependents – 6,709.

“Since Rebuilding Ireland was launched in July, we’ve made sustained efforts to deliver the plan’s objectives in relation to addressing homelessness. I have said that it will take time to turn the tide on homelessness for both families and individuals,” added Minister Coveney.

Significant additional resources for tackling homeless are being delivered under Budget 2017 with an increase of almost 40% in the Exchequer allocation, from €70 million in 2016 to €98 million in 2017.

Rebuilding Ireland provides for early solutions to address the unacceptable level of families in emergency accommodation and to end the reliance on commercial hotels, except in very limited circumstances, by mid-2017.

“We will have more than 300 rapid delivery homes under construction by year end. Multiple initiatives to bring vacant properties into use are underway with both the Housing Agency and local authorities. The number of Homeless HAP tenancies to be delivered will expand from 550 this year to 1,200 in 2017.

It is anticipated that this year some 2,700 exits from homelessness will be achieved, more than ever before. While we are finding more homes than ever for people who are homeless, we are focused on accelerating delivery of the strategy which is just three months old in order to make a measurable impact on homelessness,” ended Minister Coveney.