226 children in West of Ireland facing homelessness as housing crisis deepens
County Mayo is facing a deepening housing crisis, with 160 adults living in emergency accommodation at the end of last month, an increase of over 33pc compared to the same period last year.
Across the wider western region, which includes Mayo, Roscommon, Galway County and Galway City, a total of 420 adults were recorded as homeless in June, up from 370 in the same month last year, making the region the fifth highest in the country. Of these, 240 were single adults, with a nearly even gender split of 225 men and 195 women. Almost 82pc were staying in private emergency accommodation, including hotels, B&Bs and other temporary facilities.
The June 2025 Homelessness Report from the Department of Housing shows an increase in homelessness across all four age categories. 89 of the 420 adults are aged 18-24, 210 are between 25-44, 101 are aged 45-64 and 20 are over 65.
In comparison to the same time period in 2024, 85 homeless adults were aged between 18-24, 171 were 25-44, 95 were between 45-64 and 19 were over 65. The rise highlights a broad increase in housing needs across all ages.
Family homelessness is also on the rise. In the western region, 118 families were in emergency accommodation in June, up from 112 last year. Single-parent households accounted for 64 of these, up from 57 in 2024. There were 226 children without a permanent home in the region, the fourth-highest number in Ireland.
Long stays in temporary housing remain a problem. The Homelessness Quarterly Progress Report for Q2 shows that, as of June 30, 23 families in the west had been in emergency accommodation for more than two years, the highest number outside Dublin. Among single households, this number rose to 40, the fifth-highest figure nationally.
Some progress has been made through prevention and rehousing efforts. In Q2, 35 adults exited emergency accommodation in the west, bringing the total to 57 so far this year. Another 53 people were prevented from entering homelessness, for a year-to-date total of 122. These outcomes were achieved through local authority lettings, approved housing body lettings, private rented tenancies, and long-term supported accommodation.
The Housing First initiative aims to offer long-term, stable homes with support services to people who have been homeless for extended periods, especially those with complex health issues. The Q2 report shows that the initiative helped to create four tenancies in the west. The total number of individuals who have benefitted from the initiative in the region is 77.
Nationally, 15,915 individuals are relying on emergency accommodation, an 11.3pc increase from the same period last year and a rise of 3.2pc from the previous quarter. 2,320 families were seeking emergency shelter, up nearly 11pc from last year, reflecting the growing challenge for local authorities across Ireland to provide stable housing solutions.
The latest homelessness figures highlight a worsening housing crisis in County Mayo and the wider western region, with increases in adults of all ages living in emergency accommodation. Family homelessness has also risen. While prevention measures and initiatives such as Housing First have helped some people secure permanent homes, the overall trend points to growing and urgent housing needs.
Local councillors have linked Mayo’s homelessness problem to missed social housing targets. Cllr Michael Kilcoyne has called on Mayo County Council to take greater responsibility for delivering social housing, while Director of Services Tom Gilligan has stressed that activity by Approved Housing Bodies must improve if the county is to meet demand and reduce reliance on emergency accommodation.
This article has been funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.