Requests for assistance from the Mercy Law Resource Centre - which provides free legal advice and representation to people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness - rose by 15.5% last year compared to 2023.
According to its annual report, the centre received 2,973 calls from people seeking advice - a rise of over 200 calls compared to 2023.
The report states that each of the cases represented a person or family in need of safety, stability and justice.
MLRC opened 351 new client files in 2024, of which 263 related to social housing.
Homelessness was the next most common reason that clients contacted the centre - 25% of the social housing enquiries were also about homelessness.
In 2024, 142 individuals were advised about homelessness, with over 77 of these involving access to emergency accommodation, including refusals or issues with emergency accommodation conditions.
Many cases focused on conditions were linked to individuals with health issues, addictions, or disabilities, underscoring the inadequacy of emergency accommodation for those with specific health conditions or disability, according to the report.
The concerning aspect of 2024, according to MLRC, related to 178 queries via its helpline about emergency accommodation, up from 139 in 2023.
Some 38% of these queries were in respect of families who were either at risk of homelessness or were currently experiencing homelessness.
MLRC dealt with 155 clients based outside the Dublin area (46%) and 182 clients in Dublin (54%), indicating a "shift" in its national reach since 2022.
In 2024, it experienced an "unprecedented rise" in demand for services, reflecting the growing crisis facing individuals and families across the country, it said.
