Lone parents, large families and foreign nationals most likely to become homeless, report shows
Lone parents, large families and foreign nationals are the most vulnerable to becoming homeless in Dublin, a new report shows.
Research from the Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DHRE) which was carried out between 2016 and 2017.
The group looked at the people behind the numbers and found that the majority of homeless families have one or two children while the average age for homeless adults is 32 and seven for children.
One-third of homeless families are non-Irish while two-thirds are lone parenting.
Dr Bernie Donoghue Hynes is the Director of Research with the DRHE and says the two main reasons families become homeless are either because a relationship breaks down or because they are forced to leave their rented accommodation.
Dr Donoghue says the research shows homelessness is complicated and a number of agencies are needed to tackle it.
Cllr Daithi Doolan, chair of Dublin City Council’s Housing Committee, says these figures dispel a number of myths.
"I think it really paints a picture about the truth around homelessness, " he said.
"It's not about people gaming the system, it's not about young mothers trying to get one up on other people."[/quote]
"This report is based on fact and it clearly shows we need to tailor our services to meet the needs of people, where lone parents, large parents and non-Irish families are hugely over-represented in our homelessness services."
