Homelessness in Ireland

Homelessness in Ireland is an evolving social issue. In the past, homeless people in Ireland were generally older males suffering from alcoholism, however, since the 1990s it has been recognized that the homeless population now include many women and children.^[1]

Youth homelessness is often defined as a separate issue to homelessness. Though the issue was not recognized by government until the late 1980s, since the mid-1960s youth homelessness was gradually articulated as a form of homelessness different from that experienced by adults.^[2]

There are over 6,000 homeless in Ireland, and about a third are children.^[3][4][5]

The Irish government stated in 2013 that they would have eradicated homelessness in Ireland by 2016. However, now coming to the end of 2016, the problem has only worsened. Studies have shown that 4,377 people are now living in emergency accommodation, the highest figure seen in Ireland to this day.^[6] In the coming weeks there is said to be 62 beds extra beds available in Dublin in order to shelter the homeless,^[7]

References

1. Carlson, Helena. "Women and homelessness in Ireland." The Irish Journal of Psychology 11, no. 1 (1990): 68-76.
2. O’Sullivan, Eoin, and Paula Mayock. "Youth Homelessness in Ireland." Youth Studies Ireland (2008): 15.
3. "Homelessness in Ireland highest on record".
4. "Record number of Dublin families became homeless in January".
5. "Homelessness in Ireland highest on record".
6. Fitzgerald, Cormac. "The vow to end homelessness by Christmas? Not going to happen". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 2016-12-01.
7. "Homeless crisis: 62 extra emergency beds to be available in Dublin". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2016-12-01.