The number of people in emergency accommodation fell by 101 in May, according to Department of Housing figures, but the total remains 11 per cent higher than at the same point last year.
It marks the first decrease in homelessness since the Covid-19 pandemic, aside from the fall seen every December when people are taken in by relatives and friends for Christmas.
The latest data from the department show there were 17,447 people in homelessness accommodation during the week of May 26th to 31st: 11,864 adults, down by 80 since April; and 5,583 children, a fall of 21.
In Dublin, where the homeless crisis is at its most acute, overall numbers are down by 105 to 12,370. There were 8,264 homeless adults (a drop of 85) in the capital and 4,106 children (a drop of 20).
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There were also marginal decreases in the mideast (from 971 to 953); the northeast (from 210 to 193); the southeast (from 476 to 472), the southwest (from 1,162 to 1,157), and in the west from (624 to 622).
Numbers were up in the midlands (333 to 340); the midwest (1,071 to 1,108) and the northwest (226 to 232).
The number of single adults without children accessing emergency accommodation nationally fell by 15 to 7,346.
There was a reduction of 39 people in Dublin, from 5,005 to 4,966 last month, with the numbers elsewhere rising by 24 in total.
The figures do not include those in emergency hostels not funded by their local authority, living in overcrowded housing, domestic violence refuges, so-called sofa-surfing, sleeping rough, or people who have a legal right to live in Ireland but are stuck in international protection accommodation as they cannot access housing.
There is a decrease in the homelessness figures every December when individuals and families leave emergency accommodation to be with relatives and friends and landlords delay evictions.
However, this was the first decrease since the Covid-19 era. There were small drops in numbers between March and September 2020 and between April and June 2021, around the time Government banned no-fault evictions.
Compared with a year ago, the picture remains bleak with destitution among children up 15 per cent, and overall homelessness up 11 per cent.
Homelessness charities said the “slight fall” must not lessen the urgency of the crisis.
“The figures remain far too high and underline the need for stronger Government action both to prevent homelessness and to help people move quickly into secure homes,” said Focus Ireland.
Catherine Kenny, chief executive of the Dublin Simon Community, said the capital had “the greatest demand for housing”.
“While recent policy measures have focused on housing supply and changes within the rental sector, the true test of any intervention must be whether fewer people are entering homelessness and whether more people are able to leave homelessness,” she said.
