Homelessness in Ireland is an evolving social issue. During the 19th century, homelessness was a pervasive impact of the Great Famine (1845–1852). During the 20th century, homelessness in Ireland was associated with older males who may have had alcoholism or other addiction issues. However, since the 1990s and into the 21st century, it has been recognised that the homeless population includes increasing numbers of women and children.
Youth homelessness is often defined as a separate issue to homelessness. Though the issue was not recognized by government until the late 1980s, since the mid-1960s youth homelessness was gradually articulated as a form of homelessness different from that experienced by adults.
As of 2016, there are over 7,000 homeless people in Ireland, with approximately one-third of these being children.
Spokespersons of the Irish government stated in 2013 that they would have "eradicated homelessness" in Ireland by 2016. However, this goal was not achieved, and as of 2017, the issue and prevalence of homelessness has increased. Figures published during 2016 and early 2017 indicated that there were then 4,377 people living in emergency accommodation, the highest figure seen in Ireland to that date. A "Homelessness Report" by the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government in November 2016, indicated that the issue was most prevalent in the Dublin area, but with hundreds of homeless families and individuals in other regions also. Commentators have attributed the ongoing events (described in the news media as the 'homelessness crisis') to the post-2008 Irish economic downturn and 'subsequent fiscal adjustments', and the parallel impacts of reduced familial incomes, mortgage arrears and rental increases which followed impacts to housing supply.