Homelessness reaches record levels on Leeside

Cork politicians have slammed the Government’s failure to address homelessness as record levels of people seeking emergency accommodation are recorded on Leeside.

Sinn Féin’s Thomas Gould and Pádraig Rice of the Social Democrats have condemned new figures published in the October 2025 Homeless Report.

The report shows that 712 adults were accessing emergency accommodation towards the end of October, while 230 children across Cork and Kerry remain without a home. In October alone, 37 additional adults in Cork and 15 additional children in Cork and Kerry entered emergency accommodation.

Deputy Gould said: “That is a shocking increase and a sign that people were hoping to hold out until Christmas.

“All across Cork, Christmas trees are being put up and children are sitting down to write letters to Santa. For children and families living in emergency accommodation, this is a particularly hard time of year. They want to ask Santa for bikes and trampolines like their friends but instead, they have to plan for what can fit in the hotel room they share with their parents and siblings.”

According to the figures for Cork and Kerry in the twelve months to October 2025, the number of adults in emergency accommodation increased by 28.5%; the number of children increased by 11%; and the number of families increased by 4.8%.

Deputy Rice said: “A year ago, on the day of General Election 2024, the number of people in emergency accommodation in Cork was 589. That figure today is 712, which is more than a 20 per cent increase since the election. This is absolutely shameful.

“No child should grow up without a home, yet, this Christmas, more children than ever will find themselves in emergency accommodation.”

The increase in homeless numbers in Cork aligns with new figures from St Vincent de Paul (SVP) South-West which have revealed a 20% increase in calls for help across Cork and Kerry compared to this time last year.

SVP South-West's information officers have already recorded 11,000 calls in Cork this year.

Last year, SVP South-West supported 27,314 families and individuals, delivering over €5 million in direct assistance.

The charity expects demand this winter to surpass previous years.SVP regional president Mary Frances Behan said: “Relentless cost-of-living pressures are taking a heavy toll on families across Cork and Kerry. We are hearing from people who are exhausted, anxious, and overwhelmed especially as Christmas draws closer, they just need a bit of help to get through.”Ms Behan said the charity continues on a daily basis to hear from parents and individuals worried about heating their homes and managing spiralling costs.

She continued: “We are seeing families in despair and people from all walks of life contacting us who have never needed help before.”

With requests for help rising rapidly and winter pressures intensifying, SVP South-West is appealing to the public to support its Annual Car Draw 2025.

More than 80% of SVP South-West’s annual fundraising takes place between October and December, making the Car Draw a crucial source of funding during the charity’s busiest and most pressurised months.