Homeless services face added pressure as 172 Galway tenancies end latest figures show

Fresh calls for action to keep families in their homes as councillor warns no child should end up in emergency accommodation.

Published 1st Oct 2026, 13:16 BST Iconic Fresh calls for action to keep families in their homes as councillor warns no child should end up in emergency accommodation. More than 170 Notices of Termination were being handled by Galway City Council as homeless services came under continued pressure this summer.

The council's latest report on homeless services shows its Tenancy Sustainment Service had 172 valid Notices of Termination on its books, with another 46 pending.

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At the end of July, 184 adults were in emergency accommodation in Galway City. The city also accounted for 61 of the 118 family households experiencing homelessness across the West Region.

The figures come as Labour councillor Niall McNelis called for more action to stop families with children from losing their homes.

“The Government talks about protecting children, but when a family is facing eviction, the system too often waits until they are homeless before offering help,” he said.

“That is backwards. Prevention must come before emergency accommodation.”

Galway City sees surge in home seekers as numbers rise ‘I have nowhere else to go’: Cuirt Eigis mother faces eviction deadline Of the 172 valid Notices of Termination, 117 involved HAP tenancies, 12 were RAS and 43 were private rented.

The report also shows 54 families were being provided with private emergency accommodation, including 27 Traveller families.

Another 11 families were in transitional accommodation and six were in Corrib Haven Family Hub.

During the first six months of the year, Galway City Council recorded 58 homelessness preventions and 22 exits from emergency accommodation.

The council has been allocated €12.03 million in Government funding for homeless services in 2026 in its role as lead housing authority for the West Region.

The funding covers homeless accommodation, support and prevention services across Galway City, Galway County, Mayo and Roscommon.

Cllr McNelis is calling for legislation aimed at preventing families with children from being evicted into homelessness.

He also wants the Tenant in Situ scheme to be made demand-led and more resources provided to local authorities to buy suitable homes.

“Every child deserves a safe, stable place to call home,” he said.

“No child should have to spend their childhood in emergency accommodation.”