There was a 12% increase in the number of people sleeping rough in Dublin between 13 and 19 of April 2026 compared to the same period last year.<\/p>\n
The count was arranged by the Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE) and carried out by the Dublin Simon Community Outreach Team.<\/p>\n
It recorded 136 people sleeping rough in the Dublin region.<\/p>\n
Additional Outreach workers were deployed by Dublin Simon for the count to ensure “comprehensive coverage” of city centre areas, according to the charity.<\/p>\n
The charity has warned that the capital continues to carry “the overwhelming burden” of Ireland’s homelessness crisis.<\/p>\n
Dublin Simon CEO Catherine Kenny said those counted share three stark realities; of sleeping rough, experiencing acute vulnerability, and having nowhere to call home.<\/p>\n
“Shelter is a fundamental human right, and no one should have to bed down on the streets of our capital,” she said.<\/p>\n
She said it reflected Government policy that is not keeping pace with demand and a support system that needs great capacity to respond to increasingly complex needs.<\/p>\n
“Unless we address these issues, the numbers bedding down on the street will continue to grow regardless of how many emergency responses we put in place.<\/p>\n
“That\u2019s why we are calling for a nationally led Dublin Housing and Homelessness strategy, backed by dedicated funding and coordinated delivery,” she said.<\/p>\n
A total of 53% of those sleeping rough had accessed emergency accommodation at some point in the past three months and 115 (85%) had previously been assessed or were assessed during the count week by the local authority.<\/p>\n
Those assessed are registered in the Pathway Accommodation and Support System (PASS), an online shared system utilised by every homeless service provider and all local authorities in Ireland.<\/p>\n
Ms Kenny said the findings must be viewed within the wider context of homelessness in Dublin.<\/p>\n