This research provides context on families that became homeless during the period 2020 – 2023. Family homelessness continues to be a feature of homelessness in the Dublin region as evidenced by the number of households entering homelessness for the first time each month. Reasons for family homelessness have included but not been limited to tenancy loss in the private rented sector, relationship breakdown in family settings or between partners, overcrowding and lack of sufficient funds to meet rent costs. At the root of a majority of presentations is the structural issue of lack of affordable housing. Over the years, the government has implemented various action plans and strategies to address homelessness in Ireland (Baptista et al, 2022, page 21). Informed by national policy, the Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE) has continued to plan and implement ways of preventing and addressing homelessness in alignment with government goals as evidenced by the region’s three-year action plans. In 2016, the DRHE began using the homeless administrative data to produce reports on families becoming homeless for the first time in the Dublin region. The administrative data provides an opportunity to understand issues contributing to family homelessness and a number of reports have been published to this effect since.

[See p.18, 4.3 Other reasons for homelessness 2020 – 2023 - Substance abuse and p.46, Appendix 1: Reasons for homelessness - Leaving addiction treatment/Substance abuse]