Focus Ireland has said that exits from homelessness to private rental housing have "collapsed" in Dublin, falling from 60% of all Dublin exits in 2021 to 26% in 2025.
The charity has published a report into the scale of homelessness in the capital, saying exits to the private rental market is visible in all regions, but most severe in Dublin.
The report also found that the number of families now living in emergency accommodation in Dublin has more than doubled in the last four years and that the capital now accounts for around 70% of all homelessness in Ireland, highlighting, what it said is the "concentration of the crisis" in Dublin.
It said that while adult-only homelessness continues to grow, the most urgent concern is the surge in families and child dependents entering emergency accommodation, often for prolonged periods.
Just over half of families - 52% - were in emergency accommodation for more than 12 months in the second quarter of this year, compared to 32% in 2022, according to the report.
More than one in four families (26%) were there for over 24 months with the number of children in emergency accommodation has risen five-fold in the last ten years.
Mike Allen, Director of Advocacy at Focus Ireland and report co-author, said the figures show that while all forms of homelessness are growing, families and children are bearing the brunt of the housing crisis in Dublin.
He also said the "near disappearance" of private rentals exit is "deeply worrying".
Pointing to the €1.9 billion figure spent on homelessness in the capital over the last decade, he said emergency accommodation dominates the budget, while prevention and long-term housing solutions remain underfunded.
