Sharp increases in social housing waiting lists

The number of households seeking council houses has risen dramatically across the State, with local authorities reporting an average increase of 42 per cent in waiting lists since last year.

The largest increase identified was in Roscommon, where the number of households on the housing list more rose 105 per cent , from 252 in May 2013 to 516 last week. Longford saw a 72 per cent increase and Galway county 64 per cent.

The figures came in response to an Irish Times request for every local authority in the State to provide the most up-to-date figures on their housing lists. Some 21 local authorities responded, recording a combined waiting list of 64,579 compared to 45,417 last May.

Social justice campaigner Fr Peter McVerry yesterday warned of a “tsunami of homelessness” as social housing shortages, rising rents and home repossessions look set to worsen over the coming months.

Figures to be published later this week show sleeping rough remains a major problem in the capital, despite extra emergency beds in the system.

Some 127 people were sleeping rough in Dublin last month, a 9 per cent decrease on last winter, but a 35 per cent rise on the same period last year, according to a Dublin Region Homeless Executive report.

The executive says it plans to have 60 additional emergency beds in place by the end of June to help cope with rising demand.