Sinn Féin TD Eoin Ó Broin has called for a ban on evictions in light of the ongoing housing crisis.
Eviction notices have doubled in the last year, according to new figures from the Residential Tenancies Board.
The figures show that over 1,000 landlords issued eviction notices between April and June - more than twice the number issued this time last year.
"Darragh O'Brien has been nowhere to be seen."
Sinn Féin's Eoin Ó Broin says we need an emergency response to the rising levels of homelessness.
"The real problem is since these figures have been released, since the latest homeless figures show record levels of adults and children in emergency accommodation, [Government Housing Minister] Darragh O'Brien has been nowhere to be seen."
"We need an emergency response to the rising levels of homelessness", he said.
"We need a ban on evictions, and we need other measures to ensure that those people at risk of homelessness are able to access secure, social and affordable homes."
Homelessness figures
A record number of people are in homeless accommodation in Ireland.
Figures from the Department of Housing show 10,568 people were in homelessness as of July, including 3,137 children.
These are the highest numbers recorded since October 2019, when the figure stood at 10,514.
However, the Government figures do not include anyone living in so-called 'hidden homelessness' such as rough sleepers, women in refuge centres or those in Direct Provision.
Rent arrears
New figures show social housing tenants owe almost €105 million in unpaid rents.
Of the €104 million owed to the State's 31 local authorities, Dublin City Council is worst-off with social housing tenants in the red for €38.5 million.
185 are behind by at least €20,000 - including 144 of Dublin City Council's tenants - according to The Irish Times.
Mike Allen from Focus Ireland has said the figures should be taken with a grain of salt:
"Even tenants who've left or died, or [are in] arrears for several years are added into the list to give us these sort of huge figures.
"I think local authorities need to get better at collecting rent, they need to be better at reporting rent."
