Dublin Simon Community concerned new housing bill will lead to more rough sleeping – future oversight vital
New housing bill’s amendments to social housing and emergency accommodation supports poses serious threat to vulnerable groups
Dublin, 8th of July 2026: Dublin Simon Community is concerned over the Government’s Housing and Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, signalling that the bill’s amendments could lead to an increase in rough sleeping. The new bill intends to redefine eligibility criteria for social housing and homeless supports including emergency accommodation, a move which could leave vulnerable people without access to essential services.
Catherine Kenny, CEO of Dublin Simon Community, said, “While we understand the Government’s aim of addressing gaps in the framework of housing supports, we cannot remain silent when there are very real risks associated with this legislation. The amendments to this bill place more restrictions on access to social housing and emergency accommodation. This bill has the potential to see more people turned away with nowhere left to go other than the streets. Access to emergency accommodation should always be led by need and not by entitlement. Shelter is a human right, and no one should have to bed down on the street.
“Of particular concern are the amendments which would require individuals who do not meet residency criteria to re-present nightly for emergency accommodation. Inserting an 8pm to 8am window for emergency accommodation placement into the legislation is particularly unworkable for person-led service providers like Dublin Simon. The lack of stability this would create would significantly impact these individuals’ ability to meaningfully engage with support across housing, health and social care services.”
She added, “Additionally, the proposed requirement for all members of a household to meet residency requirements could result in families being refused emergency accommodation. This is especially worrying as it may see more children facing the prospect of sleeping rough.”
Dublin Simon Community believes it is essential that the bill’s implementation is closely monitored and independently reviewed to ensure that impacts on vulnerable households are identified and addressed appropriately.
The charity is calling on the Department of Housing to collect and publish robust national data regarding the operation of these provisions, including:
- decisions to refuse or withdraw emergency accommodation,
- outcomes of appeals,
- the use of night-to-night accommodation arrangements,
- incidences of rough sleeping,
- and any trends arising from the new tenancy exemptions.
It is also proposing that the Department establish a formal review framework, with appropriate stakeholder engagement, to assess the real-world impact of these changes on vulnerable individuals and households.
Dublin Simon has said that it is ready and willing to engage with the Department as these measures are implemented.
For media queries, please contact
Michael Buggle
Position: Communications and Marketing Manager
Email: michaelbuggle@dubsimon.ie
Phone: +353 86 832 2357