Number of children in emergency accommodation reaches record levels

The number of children accessing emergency accommodation has climbed to almost 4,000, the highest ever level since records began.

According to figures released on Friday, 3,895 children are now in emergency accommodation. 

The total number of people housed in emergency accommodation nationally last month was 12,691, new figures released by the Department of Housing on Friday show. 

However, this is a reduction of 156 when compared with the figures released in July.

The department also confirmed there had been a mistatement of homelessness figures due to data collection errors at the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive (DRHE).

The DRHE now has appointed an independent person to review the data for the Dublin region.

In a statement, Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien said that “reliable, accurate and accessible data is vital to the work of my department and in maintaining public trust”.

“Any statistical errors are concerning and we have put in place a number of processes to ensure the integrity of the data going forward,” he said.

Out of the 8,796 adults in emergency accommodation, 6,305 were in Dublin, 577 were in the south-west, and 438 were in the mid-east, The remaining numbers of adults were spread across the country.