Labour demands urgent action as as homeless figures reach new heights

• 14,760 homeless, including 4,561 children

Labour Leader and Spokesperson on Housing, Ivana Bacik TD, has expressed outrage following the publication of the latest housing figures for September, which show a record 14,760 people living in emergency accommodation, including 4,561 children. Bacik has condemned the figures as a damning indictment of Government failure, calling the situation “unacceptable in a wealthy country like Ireland.”

Deputy Bacik said:

“To see 4,561 children growing up without a place to call home in Ireland is nothing short of a national crisis. The State has the resources, but not the political will, to solve this housing emergency. It is simply unacceptable, and it speaks to a government that has consistently failed to deliver on its promises.

“This week alone, we had two damning reports—the Simon Community’s ‘Locked Out of the Market’ and the Threshold impact report on renters—both of which show the same thing: the Government has utterly failed to provide for our most vulnerable. Their ‘Housing for All’ plan has fallen apart.”

Labour has a clear vision for tackling the housing crisis. Bacik outlined Labour’s plan, which focuses on stronger protections for renters and a serious investment in public housing.

“Labour’s plan is about building better, together. We need to create homes that people can afford—homes for families, for young people, for future generations. Labour would introduce stronger protections for renters to give people security and peace of mind. But crucially, we would also invest in the public housing that Ireland so desperately needs. We need homes that work for everyone.

“Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have talked about solving the crisis for years, but what have we seen? Record homelessness, soaring rents, and families torn apart by the pressure of trying to find somewhere to live. It’s clear that we cannot wait any longer.

“We need a housing policy that works, not one that is full of empty promises. Labour’s plan for housing is clear: invest in public housing, protect renters, and build homes that are affordable and secure.”

With the October homeless figures set to be released soon, Ireland will be approaching a critical juncture as the country prepares to vote for the next government.

Bacik concluded:

“In just a few weeks, the people of Ireland will be going to the polls to elect a new government. And they will do so with the knowledge that this Government has failed on housing—failed at every turn. The time for change is now. We need a government with the political will to deliver real solutions. The Labour Party is committed to building better, together, and to ensuring that no child, no family, is left behind.”