A woman who spent several months living in emergency accommodation has recalled how she "didn't see any hope or light" at the time.
Marie Farrell spent several months in emergency accommodation a number of years ago.
"I was basically at my rock bottom. I didn't see any hope or light," she said.
"I was suicidal, and my mental health was off the wall. I never felt so low and in such a dark place. And all my life, I never thought I'd see any light or hope again. I was in my early 40s. What was I going to do? How was I going to be happy again?" Ms Farrell said.
The mother-of-two turned her life around, went to college and now has a stable home.
Ms Farrell said the supports she got when she was homeless were key to her getting her life back on track.
She also now works at the homeless charity Focus Ireland, helping others in a similar situation to the one she was once in.
"Now I can look in the mirror and actually like who I see. Now I can help other people in addiction, mental health and grief, because I've been through all the pain of that. I understand their pain on a daily basis, so I can relate to them," Ms Farrell said.
"That's what's important to people that are homeless, they want people that's relating to them, who understands exactly what they've been through," she added.
"I worked on myself. I worked on my fears. Obviously, I had to get some counselling and some help along the way.
"And now my job every day is to show that little bit of hope to our customers and our service users, to show them that they can be me, they can have the same life I have, and can be happy again," she said.
"Now I have a home where my beautiful daughters can come," she added.
Ms Farrell was speaking as the founder of Focus Ireland said the homelessness crisis has now deepened to an unprecedented level.
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Sister Stanislaus Kennedy made her remarks ahead of the publication of the charity's annual report which show the number of households it supported out of homelessness last year reached its highest ever level.
Focus Ireland was set up in 1985, and 40 years on, its founder said it was shameful that there are now over 16,000 people homeless - among them 5,000 children.
Sr Kennedy said governments have repeatedly failed on housing, and called for more social and afforable homes.
The charity's annual report for 2024 said it supported 1,209 households out of homelessness - up 10% on the previous year and its highest number to date.
Over 450 young people were helped by its youth and aftercare services.
It said though, prevention remains more difficult - it recorded 276 successful homeless prevention outcomes last year - falling short of its 600 target.
The charity's housing arm delivered 167 homes in 2024, the aim was for 250.
