Inhumane and Unfit for Living: The Shocking Reality of Emergency Housing in Ireland
Families Report Appalling Conditions as State Accommodation Falls into Disrepair
Families in Ireland seeking emergency housing are being placed in accommodation described as filthy, unsafe, and inhumane—with reports of soiled carpets, unclean bedding, and bodily fluids staining furniture. Despite government promises to improve the standard of temporary housing, the reality for many is grim and degrading.
This ongoing crisis comes as homelessness figures hit record highs, with over 13,000 people in emergency accommodation as of March 2025, including nearly 4,000 children.
“Fluids Down the Side of the Bed”: Families Speak Out
First-hand reports from families staying in state-funded emergency housing reveal deeply unsanitary conditions:
- Filthy, stained carpets with an overpowering smell of damp and mould
- Brown fluids running down the base of beds, raising serious hygiene concerns
- Dirty communal bathrooms, often shared with strangers and left uncleaned for days
- No access to cooking facilities, forcing families to rely on takeaway food or cold meals
One mother, currently living in emergency accommodation with her two children, described the room as “disgusting, degrading, and nowhere near suitable for children“.
“I wouldn’t let a dog sleep on the mattress they gave us,” she told us. “It stinks. The carpets are sticky. There’s something leaking down the side of the bed and no one will even come to clean it.”
A Failing System Under Pressure
Ireland’s emergency housing system was originally intended as a short-term solution. Yet with rising rents, housing shortages, and a backlog in social housing builds, families are now spending months—sometimes years—in temporary accommodation.
While some emergency units are managed by reputable housing charities and meet basic standards, many others are operated by private providers with minimal regulation or oversight.
A recent inspection by housing support workers found:
- Lack of basic fire safety equipment in several units
- Broken windows, exposed wiring, and pest infestations
- Families being placed miles from schools, work, or support services
Is It Even Legal?
Under Irish housing legislation, local authorities are obliged to provide emergency accommodation to those assessed as homeless. However, there is no minimum national standard for what that accommodation must look like.
Housing charities and advocacy groups are now calling for:
- A national inspection body to oversee emergency housing standards
- A maximum stay period in emergency units
- Increased investment in Housing First programmes and rapid-build housing
The Human Impact
For the children growing up in this environment, the impact is lasting. Lack of privacy, poor hygiene, missed school days, and ongoing mental health issues are common. Parents report feelings of shame, helplessness, and constant anxiety.
Mental health professionals say the environment in some of these centres is “borderline traumatic“.
“It’s no place for a child to grow up,” one frontline worker said. “The state is failing these families, plain and simple.”
Final Word
Emergency housing is supposed to provide safety and dignity during crisis, not further degrade the lives of Ireland’s most vulnerable. As more families are pushed into homelessness due to soaring rents and lack of affordable housing, the urgent need for systemic reform is clearer than ever.
Without proper regulation, inspections, and accountability, the state risks normalising substandard and dangerous living conditions—conditions that no person, let alone a child, should be forced to endure.
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