New Waterford homelessness figures show highest May on record
New report shows 116 adults in emergency accommodation in May 2025. Stock Image.
There were 116 adults in emergency accommodation in Waterford last month.
The Monthly Homelessness Report published by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage shows a slight reduction of four adults compared to April.
Waterford had the highest number of adults in emergency accommodation for the South East region.
In August last year, Waterford exceeded 100 people in emergency accommodation (102), and the numbers have climbed since.
In the first half of 2025, figures may be slightly reduced month to month but remain the highest the county has seen since August 2019.
May 2025 had the highest number on record for the county, with the second May 2018 at 113 adults in emergency accommodation.
The region, which also includes Tipperary, Carlow, Kilkenny and Wexford, had a total of 330 adults in emergency accommodation in May.
In the South East, 73 families were in emergency accommodation.
Of those, 59 were single-parent families, 96 adults and 114 children.
The report does not break down the number of children in emergency accommodation by county.
Sixty percent of adults in emergency accommodation were male and 40% female.
Seventy-five percent were Irish, while 20% were from the EEA, and five percent were non-EEA.
The 25-44 year olds were the highest age group at 183 people, followed by the 45-64 age group at 83.
The lowest was 65+ at just 12, followed by the 18-24 at 52 people.
Nationally, 10,903 adults and 4,844 children were in emergency accommodation.
