National homelessness figures for August, published last Friday, show yet another increase, with 16,353 now in emergency accommodation. According to COPE Galway, the upcoming Budget must prioritise addressing the needs of the most marginalised, including the people behind these unacceptable numbers.
“It is difficult to fully comprehend these levels of homelessness, particularly with over 5,000 children now living in emergency accommodation nationally," said Dr Sally Anne Corcoran, Advocacy and Engagement Manager at COPE Galway. "We work locally with the very real people in our community represented by these figures, who feel powerless in the face of the housing crisis.”
Ahead of Budget 2026 next Tuesday (October 7 ), the charity is calling on Government to end the cycle of homelessness by resourcing permanent housing solutions and prevention interventions. They are also asking for the enactment of the Homeless Families Bill (2017 ) to put children’s rights at the heart of decisions.
COPE Galway responds to the needs of people experiencing homelessness, women and children subjected to domestic abuse, and they support older people towards healthy, independent ageing. They are urging Government to implement effective measures to address key challenges affecting the people the organisation works with in the community.
Their call comes within the context of record levels of homelessness and the pervasive levels of domestic abuse that women are subjected to, while the threat of isolation for older people and poverty for many more is ever-present.
“There are alarmingly high rates of violence against women in Ireland currently - 275 women have died violently here since 1999 up to June 2025, with almost nine in 10 knowing their killer,” Dr Corcoran continued. “Government must protect survivors of domestic and sexual violence by fully funding legal aid; providing long-term housing beyond refuge; delivering specialist education to eliminate the root causes of violence against women and ensuring mandatory training for all frontline professionals.”
COPE Galway is also calling for measures to support older people in our communities. “We need to see delivery of the promised right to homecare and have asked Government to provide age-friendly housing, benchmark pensions to prevent poverty, and invest in befriending services to tackle Ireland’s crisis of loneliness,” Dr Corcoran stated.
“We are calling on this Government to deliver for those most in need of support in our communities,” she continued. “The right to adequate standards of living, health, and housing are human rights that both our Government and the European and international communities recognise. We urge this Government to use Budget 2026 as a tool to build a fairer, more inclusive society where dignity, safety, support and fundamental human rights are respected, upheld and within reach for all.”
COPE Galway’s pre-budget submission is available at copegalway.ie/prebudgetsubmission
