Child homelessness in the Midwest has more than trebled in the past year.
Figures released by the Department of Housing show 140 child dependents were considered to be without a home in this region at the end of June.
While adult homelessness levels have remained relatively stagnant in Clare and throughout the Midwest in the past year, it appears families and children are being more severely impacted by a shortage of accommodation in the region.
75 families and 140 children were homeless in Clare and Limerick at the end of June, compared to 31 families and 46 children in the same month last year.
Only the South West region of Cork and Kerry, as well as the Dublin region, have more homeless families than this area.
Around 4 in 5 of the families considered homeless locally are single parent entities.
Clare County Council’s Homeless Action Team received 196 presentations in the month of July, with 35 of these being new presentations.
The local authority says demand for homeless services for this time of year is ‘unprecedented’ and that waiting lists are now in place to access emergency accommodation in this county.
