There were 9,891 people living in hotels, bed and breakfasts and family hubs in July, up from 9,872 people in June, with 43 more children homeless in July than in June.

“The lack of reliable data, from construction generally to social housing to homelessness, is unacceptable and provides a poor base for policy-making” – Social Justice Ireland (SJI).

This must be seen as a “line in the sand” for the government. “They must see this cannot continue,” says Focus Ireland in week where homeless families were directed to Garda stations for shelter.

In January there were 7,167 people registered as homeless, 2,407 of whom were children.

But many of the commitments are "unclear, with no timescale or finances named" says Focus Ireland.