Galway’s homeless figures remain stubbornly high as soaring food and fuel costs eat into people’s rent money.

A total of 243 people were homeless in Galway City and County in July, according to the latest official figures released by the Department of Housing.

That represents an annual increase of four per cent compared with the same month last year, but it was less than the previous July figures in 2020 and 2019 when Galway recorded 258 and 302 homeless people respectively.

Dermot Murphy, Director of Services and Development at Depaul, urged Government to prioritise homelessness in this September’s Budget.

Depaul is a homeless charity with the ethos of Society of Saint Vincent de Paul that has a presence in 14 counties across the island.

Its Galway organisation deals with people living in Direct Provision in the city, as well as a small number of residents in social housing.

Mr Murphy told the Connacht Tribune that the Budget needs to boost social housing supply, and also incentivise more small private landlords back into the market.

“We’re seeing significant numbers of homeless single people with complex issues. Young men and women who were previously in care, or have other complex needs, are finding it most difficult to get homes.

“A lot of people are struggling with food and fuel poverty, trying to make ends meet, and rent is down the pecking order for them. We also work with mothers and children and multiple family groups. People can’t access the private rented sector at the moment,” Mr Murphy said.

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