Surging Need, Record Exits: Inside Depaul’s Impact Report

The latest annual Impact Report from Depaul reveals a sharp rise in family homelessness and mental health challenges across Ireland, alongside a record-breaking year for helping people secure permanent homes.

Over the past year, the charity supported 8,204 people—including 5,630 adults and 2,574 children—across 44 services nationwide, including local facilities like Ozanam House in Wexford.

Key Findings

• Family Crisis: Supported 1,456 families—a 28% increase on previous figures.
• Newborns in Shelter: Five babies were born to mothers living in Depaul emergency accommodation.
• Mental Health Surge: Reported mental health support needs jumped 93%, with 1,361 individuals seeking help.
• Complex Needs: Staff delivered 75,254 keyworking sessions—a 50% increase reflecting deeper, multi-layered challenges.

Record Moves to Permanent Homes

Despite these mounting pressures, 2025 marked a landmark year for long-term exits from homelessness:

• 1,452 individuals (914 households) successfully moved out of emergency shelter into permanent housing.
• 169 people were housed directly through the Housing First programme across Dublin and Meath.

A Call for Budget Action

Dermot Murphy, Director of Services and Development with Depaul, stresses that national policy must shift toward early, upstream intervention. Ahead of Budget 2027, Depaul is calling for targeted investment in social housing, community mental health supports, and eviction prevention to stop families from reaching crisis point.