Child under the age of 17 among one of the homeless deaths in Dublin this year

In the first four months of 2023, a total of 20 homeless people died in the capital. 18 were male, one woman was in her 40s and the other was in her 50s.

Four of the males were between the ages of 60 and 69.

This data was released to Aontu leader Peadar Tóibín by Dublin Region Homeless Executive.

Mr Tóibín said: “It is a scandal that people are dying homeless in Ireland in 2023 at this rate.

“Substance abuse and mental ill health were big factors here, but the report cites how the deaths were primarily the result of the social determinants of health, including inadequate accommodation, poverty, lack of employment, child and adult trauma and imprisonment.

“Behind each one of these statistics is an individual and their family and friends. The ages at death are deeply concerning.

“Of the 20 people who died while homeless in Dublin so far this year, one of them was under the age of 17, four were aged between 20 and 29 years, and a further 10 were aged between 30 and 49 years.

“It’s chilling that over two-thirds of these deaths were of people younger than me.”

Tóibín added: “We know the causes of the deaths and what we need is urgent implementation of solutions. We need the Departments of Health, Justice, Children, and Education to work together on this. From DEIS schools to psychologists, to social workers and prison officers.

“These are harrowing and distressing statistics.”

In May, a report by the Health Research Board (HRB) found that there were 84 premature deaths among homeless people in Ireland in 2019.