The report finds that while HAP is intended to help families pay for a place to live, the reality is that HAP is so low that many cannot afford private rental accommodation.

“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.

Emergency accommodation is more expensive and less effective than Housing First which receives less than 1% of the national annual homeless budget in Ireland. In other countries up to 50% of the homeless services budget must be invested in the Housing First model.

Peter McVerry Trust hopes to see rapid-build housing play a bigger role in addressing homelessness in the future.

“We need consistent monitoring to ensure that we really get to the crux of this issue and stop more families from becoming homeless in the first place” – Focus Ireland.

The study, carried out by Dr Paula Mayock and Sarah Parker of Trinity’s School of Social Work and Social Policy, highlights causes of homelessness among young people, including family breakdown, leaving State care, early school leaving and lack of access to employment.

411 families in emergency accommodation with 911 children according to Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE).

SVP says Social Welfare representatives dealing with rent increases do not have sufficient authority to increase rent supplement.

Measures needed to deal with the critical shortage of social housing.