3,808 Homeless in Ireland in 2011

The CSO have produced a report showing that on the night of the census 2011 3,808 people in Ireland were homeless. This figure includes people living rough and in accommodation designated for the homeless. 2,539 men and 1,269 women were homeless on census night (Sunday, 10/04/11).

Deirdre Cullen, Senior Statistician at the CSO said “As part of Census 2011, a count was performed of people who spent the night of April 10th 2011 either sleeping rough or in accommodation providing shelter for the homeless. This was the first time such a comprehensive approach to identifying homeless people in Ireland was undertaken as part of the census and follows strong cooperation among all the main stakeholders working in the area of homelessness in Ireland. The CSO would like thank in particular the Dublin Region Homeless Executive for their help in performing a count of people sleeping rough on Census Night in Dublin on our behalf.”

457 children - aged 14 and under - were homeless on the night of the census or 12% of the total homeless population.

16.7% of those aged 15 or older were separated or divorced, this is significantly higher than in the general population, which recorded 6%.

296 family units were identified representing 905 people.

1,660 indicated that they were in the labour force, with 274 in work and 1,396 either looking for their first job or unemployed.

More than 25% of the homeless population only had a primary level of education, this is in comparison to 8% in the general population.

Nearly 33% of the homeless considered their health as "fair", "bad" or "very bad", just 10% of the general population made the same conclusion on their health.

1,581 of the homeless had a disability, 42% of the homeless population, compared to 13% in the general population. The most common problems suffered in the homeless population were psychological or emotional.