New figures reveal the pressures on homelessness services in Cork, with a growing need for mental health and addiction supports.

Last year, 575 people relied on Depaul’s Cork homelessness services while frontline teams helped 88 people move into long-term accommodation.

And the charity supported 535 adults, 40 children and 16 families across the county, including at Deerpark, Vincent’s Street, Cork B&B Outreach, Cork Tenancy Sustainment and HHPA Cork.

The figures are from Depaul’s just published report Frontline Prevention – Shaping the Present, Looking to the Future.

While it highlights progress in securing permanent homes, the report also warns that rising demand and increasingly complex needs are putting severe pressure on services.

In Cork, 273 service users reported significant mental health support needs.

Depaul staff delivered 6,332 keyworking sessions in the county to provide intensive support for people experiencing mental health difficulties and other challenges.

Cork teams responded to 25 incidents of suicidal ideation and 18 incidents of self-harm during the year.

They also recorded 43 overdoses, administering Naloxone in 12 cases and saving lives.

Nationally, Depaul helped 1,452 individuals and 914 households move from homelessness into suitable long-term accommodation—the charity’s highest-ever number of exits.

‘2025 was a year where our mission was put to the ultimate test,’ said Depaul’s CEO David Carroll. ‘We demonstrated that homelessness can be temporary by moving more people into permanent homes than ever before.’

Niamh Thornton, Senior Services Manager at Depaul, said: ‘Behind every number in this report is a person, a family and a story.’

The charity is calling for greater investment in housing, prevention, mental health, addiction and Housing First services.