According to data released by Dublin City Council to Independent Councillor Gavin Pepper, 42 percent of applicants on the capital’s social housing waiting list are non-Irish, while almost 9 percent are Somalian. The figures have prompted calls from opposition politicians for local authorities across Ireland to release full demographic breakdowns of their housing lists amid an ongoing national housing shortage.
Dublin City Council Waiting List Data Breakdown
Out of 15,005 households currently waiting on social housing in Dublin, 8,706 applicants—representing 58 percent—are Irish, according to the records obtained by Councillor Pepper. Non-Irish applicants account for 6,299 households, or 42 percent of the total list.
Somali households represent 1,320 applicants, making up 8.8 percent of the entire register. Romanian applicants account for 599 households, or 4 percent of the total figure. Councillor Pepper described the composition as a dramatic change, arguing that local authorities need to prioritize Irish citizens in housing allocations.
Did you know? Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) accounted for nearly 63 percent of all accepted social housing offers in 2025, according to the council data, with 59 percent of non-Irish household placements going through AHBs.
Independent TDs Demand Nationwide Transparency
Tipperary TD Mattie McGrath said it was long past time for county and city councils to be upfront with the public regarding housing and immigration data.
“We are acting as if we are a banana republic, building for the world to come here while our own are leaving for other shores, and then refusing to reveal the facts to the Irish people,” McGrath told Gript. He added that the current practice of keeping data secret only deepens public anger and leaves communities feeling ignored.
Offaly TD Carol Nolan echoed those calls, stating that data on housing allocations by ethnicity or status is frequently treated as a state secret. Nolan argued that taxpayers funding construction costs have a legitimate right to clear information on where limited housing stock is allocated.
“There is little reason to believe the DCC figures obtained by Cllr Pepper are not replicated across every local authority to some degree,” Nolan said. She added that the demographic changes are too widespread to be dismissed as an urban anomaly.
Approved Housing Bodies and IPAS Placements
The data also highlighted the growing role of Approved Housing Bodies, which are independent, taxpayer-funded entities taking over housing delivery from local councils. Records show that AHBs provided a higher proportion of housing offers for applicants from Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Iraq.
Research conducted by Matt Treacy for Gript documented a surge in Somali arrivals into the Irish asylum system over a five-year period. The research noted that the De Paul organisation, a major AHB, assisted 3,929 individuals in moving from International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) settings into social housing in 2025. That figure meant 70 percent of those assisted by the group were people who came here claiming asylum.
Frequently Asked Questions
What percentage of Dublin’s social housing list is non-Irish?
According to figures released by Dublin City Council, 42 percent of households on the social housing waiting list are non-Irish.
How many Somali households are on the Dublin waiting list?
Somali applicants account for 1,320 households, which represents 8.8 percent of the total waiting list.
What role do Approved Housing Bodies play in allocations?
Approved Housing Bodies provided nearly 63 percent of all accepted social housing offers in 2025, including 59 percent of offers made to non-Irish households.
Why are TDs calling for nationwide data releases?
Independent TDs argue that local authorities nationwide should publish demographic data on housing lists to ensure transparency during a severe national housing shortage.
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