THE NUMBER OF people who are homeless in Ireland has increased to more than 10,000 again.

Latest figures from the Department of Housing show that there were 10,271 people in emergency accommodation in January.

The figure includes 6,697 adults and 3,574 children, and is a rise of 540 people compared with the previous month.

Source: Department of Housing

Source: Department of Housing

Figures from the department last month showed that 9,731 people were in emergency accommodation during December, the first time the number had fallen below 10,000 since breaching the five-figure mark last March.

At the time, then-Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy said that the decrease was “a move in the right direction”.

Speaking about this evening’s figures, Dublin city councillor and CEO of Inner City Helping Homeless, Anthony Flynn described the news as “considerably worrying”.

“This is a shocking increase a month after [Eoghan Murphy] claimed a massive reduction,” he said.

The Simon Communities of Ireland described the latest increase as “disappointing”, although it said it was not expected.

“The election showed that the public is very clear that they want the homeless crisis dealt with,” the charity’s spokesman Wayne Stanley said.

“Meeting the electorate’s expectation requires an ambitious Programme for Government that will build a secure and affordable housing system that works for all.”