Catholic Bishops state homelessness is a blight on society

Catholic bishops in Ireland stated that the rising number of people seeking emergency accommodation across the island is a failure of government and public policy. During an autumn general meeting in Maynooth, the Bishops’ Commission for Social Issues and International Affairs presented a report addressing the homelessness crisis in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

In the Republic of Ireland, 17,885 people accessed emergency accommodation in August 2026. This figure represents a 111% increase since the Housing for All plan began in 2021 and a 169% increase over the last ten years.

In Northern Ireland, more than 5,600 people are living in emergency accommodation, while over 90,000 people have applied for social housing. The bishops attributed the acceleration of this problem to low social housing supply and high demand. They also noted that the absence of a budget in Northern Ireland has left authorities relying primarily on emergency accommodation. The bishops stated that addressing the economic root causes of homelessness is necessary to protect human dignity and the common good.