Average of 10 homeless people died every month in 2020 with over half in Dublin

The Health Research Board is Ireland’s lead funding agency supporting innovative health research and delivering data and evidence that improves people’s health and patient care

• SHARE

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More info

Ten homeless people died on average every month in 2020, according to the Health Research Board.

In total 121 people without a place of their own lost their lives that year – an increase of 92 on the 2019 figure. Over half of those deaths were in Dublin.

The HRB said the median age for female fatalities was 36.5 years and 42 for men. Almost all who died had a history of substance abuse or dependency and there was a high prevalence of mental health and medical conditions.One in three died in a public place while 23 others were known to have been sleeping rough. The HRB found of those who died, one in five females and one in 10 males were known to have spent time in prison.