“It must be remembered that these are not just statistics, these are real people – men, women and children with lives, and hopes, and dreams” – Threshold.

The annual Black Santa Sit Out, which raises up to €50,000 for charity, was launched on Wednesday by Archbishop Michael Jackson and the Lord Mayor of Dublin.

“The opportunity to realise a fair, inclusive and sustained recovery for the people it assists is being eroded by the absence of a new government.”

In addition to children who are homeless, thousands more are living in overcrowded, unsuitable and unsafe sub-standard accommodation.

Focus Ireland calls for five election demands to be delivered by the new Government to help end the current housing and homeless crisis.

Given the scale & implications of the housing & homelessness crisis, it's disappointing the issue hasn't featured far more prominently in election debates: Fr McVerry.

Need for legislation to create ‘rent certainty’ in the private rented sector which would counter rent inflation.

“One family a day loses their home and becomes homeless in Dublin alone,” Sr Stan warns.