As schools close for summer – 5,583 children experiencing homelessness

remain in emergency accommodation

 

Dublin, 26th of June, 2026 : – Commenting on the release of May’s Homeless report by the Department of Housing, Local Government &; Heritage, David Carroll, Chief Executive of Depaul, notes with sadness the 1,000’s of children trapped in emergency accommodation as the summer holidays arrive.

The just released numbers show that as of May 2026 – 17,447 people are living through the burden of homelessness, including 11,864 individuals, and
5,583 children, accessing local authority managed short-term, emergency accommodation.

What is particularly sad this time of year is when we think of the school age children living in emergency services. As schools all over the country close for the summer – thousands of children face the reality of a summer spent in unsuitable temporary accommodation with no certainty of a home. And their parents face the worry of how they are going to support these children for the next few months.

A rite of passage for children all over Ireland but not for the 5,583 children who have been let down and who are growing up without the stability, safety, and support they need. These children are quite literally spending their formative years in homelessness centres. This is deeply troubling because we know that experiencing homelessness in childhood has long-lasting effects: it is linked to poorer mental well-being and a higher risk of homelessness in adulthood.

We find ourselves once more warning that children in unsuitable, emergency accommodation are being deprived not only of stability, but also of the support they need to thrive and grow. Everyday our staff give their best efforts to assist these families, but the scale and complexity of this crises demands urgent action. Housing is the most basic and fundamental need, we remain appalled that a large number of people in this country do not have a secure, affordable, decent place to call home.

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For media queries contact: Colette Campbell: Communications & Advocacy Depaul – colette.campbell@depaulcharity.net