Family Homeless After Losing Tenancy: Rights, Resources & Recovery Guide

Ireland’s homelessness crisis is placing unprecedented pressure on frontline services as a sharp rise in families seeks help, according to homeless charity Depaul.

The Daily Toll of Commuting from Emergency Hubs

Each morning, she drove her children two hours to school — an exhausting routine that resulted in both children receiving gold stars at the end of the year for not missing a single day. There were no kitchen facilities in the accommodation; the family was crammed into one room and shared a single bed.

It was crazy, she said. Just crazy.

Aisling Dekker

Following their initial placement in the remote hub, the family was moved on to alternative emergency accommodation that featured a little kitchenette, though it remained a significant distance from the children’s school. The experience left a deep mark on the household. Homelessness had a huge impact on her children, though Ms Dekker commends their resilience through the ordeal.

They bounce back like, but obviously they’ve had their moments through it and they’ve had sad days. But look, they know there’s light at the end of the tunnel. Like even being here, it’s more structure for them, she said.

Aisling Dekker

Relief and Wraparound Support at Depaul’s Rendu Apartments

A social worker who had been helping the Dekker family changed their lives when they secured a transfer into Depaul’s Rendu apartments for women and children in Dublin city. In their new setting, the family finally has their own apartment, proper cooking facilities, and wraparound support to help them rebuild. For the first time in years, the children have settled into a stable environment, with the youngest declaring it was home sweet home when they arrived back to the apartment earlier that day.

For Ms Dekker, the charity has offered her family a vital fresh start after months of instability.

There are so many memories that my kids will take from here. Like, lovely memories and lovely people that they’ve met that have had a huge impact on shaping who they are, she said.

Aisling Dekker

I just hope we never have to go through this again. And I hope that any family that is struggling and going through it, that they can get through it and they get the help that they need, she noted.

Frontline Strain and Calls for Government Action in Budget 2027

Despite the successful transition for families like the Dekkers, demand for safe accommodation remains overwhelming. There are currently nine families on the waiting list for Depaul’s Rendu apartments, and the charity reports no slowdown in incoming referrals.

Depaul’s 2025 Impact Report warns that greater investment in homelessness prevention, permanent housing, and mental health and addiction services is urgently needed. While the charity delivered significant results last year in moving people out of emergency accommodation and into long-term homes, it points to the ongoing housing crisis and the cost-of-living crisis as driving the current surge in need.