Ireland’s homelessness crisis has worsened once again, with the latest figures for October 2025 showing 16,766 people without a home. Of those, 5,074 are children. 

These figures were discussed on The Anton Savage Show, where Green Party TD Roderic O'Gorman and Journalist Brenda Power reacted to the figures and the growing concern of homelessness in Ireland.

Roderic O’Gorman noted that it has been one year since the 2024 general election, where housing was one of the most dominant issues on the agenda. 

Micheal Martin, Mary Lou McDonald and Simon Harris at the end of the final TV leaders' debate, at RTE studios in Donnybrook, Dublin, ahead of the General Election on November 29, 2024. RollingNews.ie

However, instead of progress, the situation has worsened.

“There’s been a 12 percent increase in homelessness since then,” he said.

Despite housing being a central part of political discussions, O’Gorman expressed concern that action did not match the promises being made, stating that a meaningful strategy was only introduced three weeks ago with the government’s proposed housing plan.

“The figures that came out after the general election showed a new approach was needed,” said the Green Party leader.

He acknowledged that the government has not been successful in tackling homelessness to date.

‘Their childhood is being taken from them’

Writer and columnist Brenda Power spoke about the emotional toll of the crisis, particularly on young children:

“The number of children in homelessness is so upsetting, especially this time of year.”

In the month of October alone, 600 more children were added to the homeless list, a figure Power described as deeply distressing. 

With winter approaching, she said the human cost becomes even harder to ignore.

“Talk about their childhood being taken from them. Coming into Christmas, it’s all the more distressing.”

Power spoke from personal experience as a mother of five, reflecting on housing insecurity among young people:

“I have five kids, I don’t think they’ll ever be able to afford their own house, but at least they always have somewhere to live.”

Written by Annemarie Roberts