Homelessness rises against a backdrop of rising Notices of Termination as Dublin Simon warns the system is at capacity  

Increasing number of people on the streets and in temporary accommodation highlights continued need for homelessness prevention, accelerated housing delivery and urgent, coordinated action 

Dublin, 27th of March 2026: As the number of those in emergency accommodation rises across Ireland, Dublin Simon Community warns that the system is operating at capacity, at a critical moment for housing policy.

Against a backdrop of rising termination notices and sustained cost-of-living pressures, the organisation says the sector is entering a period of heightened uncertainty. Demand for temporary accommodation is increasing, and capacity is at breaking point. 

Catherine Kenny, CEO of Dublin Simon Community, said, “Today’s numbers are the last figures before the new tenancy rules came into effect, and they come at a moment of real concern across the sector. We are seeing evidence of multiple catalysts converging to create pressure: rising notices of termination (NOTs), affordability challenges, and now new legislation changes – all meeting a system that is already operating at its limits. The risk is that more people will be pushed into homelessness with fewer pathways out.” 

“Homelessness figures continue to rise in Dublin. We know firsthand from our winter reporting that our Outreach team has been engaging with up to eight new people a day at risk of rough sleeping, at risk or experiencing homelessness. We saw increased demand for accommodation and services on the frontline during the wet winter months. Our teams were there, day and night, helping to keep people dry and doing what they could to minimise serious health risks in the cold.” 

“I am deeply concerned about the reports in the sector of the growing surge of NOTs in the private rental market. As NOTs continued to rise to the end of 2025, there is a frightening wave of demand for emergency accommodation for single and family households looming. Each notice represents a person or family at risk of losing their home, and without urgent, coordinated action, many will have nowhere to turn but already stretched services.” 

“It is essential that measures set out in the Government’s new housing plan move forward without delay. Given that 70% of homelessness is within the capital, specific ‘exit’ and priority measures from homelessness should be addressed. A review of HAP is especially critical if we are to make private rental accommodation accessible and affordable for people exiting homelessness. Specific targets by local authorities, for social housing for single adults, coupled with greater preventative supports are required.” 

The number of people living in emergency accommodation continues to rise
The latest data from the Department of Housing confirms 17,308 individuals are now in emergency accommodation nationwide. 12,317 were recorded in Dublin, representing a staggering 12.5% year-on-year increase.  

The latest report also includes 1,828 families and 4,021 children living in emergency accommodation in Dublin. Rising figures are sad to see but don’t tell the full story. They don’t account for those rough sleeping, in insecure accommodation, in domestic violence shelters, or those in hidden homelessness (people sleeping in tents, cars, on couches). Nor do they include people seeking international protection, who follow a separate accommodation pathway through IPAS.

Kenny said: “Homelessness is not driven by one single factor, and it will not be solved by one single solution. It is complex, and it demands a coordinated, integrated response. That is exactly what Dublin Simon is strategically focused on: supporting people across a full continuum of services. From outreach on the streets, to emergency accommodation, to long-term housing and recovery support. People don’t experience homelessness in silos, and neither should the response.”

“There is hope in what we see every day. In the people who move forward, in the progress that is possible when the right support is in place. Our winter reporting shows us that we can reach people to provide help in moments they are at their most vulnerable.”
 

“But we are still failing too many people as a country. No single organisation, no one department, can solve this alone. It requires leadership, coordination, and a shared commitment across Government, NGOs and wider society. 

We need urgent, cross-departmental action that matches the scale and complexity of this crisis, because behind every statistic is a person who cannot afford to wait.”