Focus Ireland has warned that the Government has failed to take the decisions needed to ease the homeless crisis.
The charity issued the warning as the latest Government figures revealed a further increase in the number of homeless people in Ireland.
According to the Department of Housing, there are now 9,891 homeless people living in Ireland.
It marks an increase of 19 on last month.
There were 6,024 adults accessing emergency accommodation in July and 3,867 children.
It means there are now 43 more homeless children than were recorded in June.
Meanwhile the number of homeless adults has dropped by 24 from 6,048 to 6,024.
The number of homeless families increased by 24 to 1,778.
10,000
The overall figure remains below 10,000 - however a number of homeless charities have previously warned that the actual figure is actually “well in excess" of 10,000 as up to 1,000 people were 'recategorised' out of the figures in the first few months of the year.
Both Sinn Féin and the Labour Party have said that they are considering tabling motions of no confidence in Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy over his response to the crisis.
Minister Murphy said a separate survey examining “categorisation issues” is in the process of being completed.
He said “no miscategorisations were identified and corrected” in July.
A total of 9,891 people accessed emergency accommodation in July, according to the latest homeless figures. pic.twitter.com/HNzis4OUir
— Peter McVerry Trust (@PMVTrust) August 29, 2018
'Posturing'
On The Hard Shoulder with Ivan Yates this afternoon, Minister Murphy noted that it is not the first time Sinn Féin has threatened the motion - and accused the party of posturing for attention
"We always said it would be a five to six-year-plan," he said.
"When we look at the number of new homes being built, it tells us that progress is being made.
"Of course the numbers of people in emergency accommodation is unacceptable.
"But the solution for them is new homes and until those new homes are there, we will put in place every care and support that we can.
"Now Sinn Féin has floated the idea of a no confidence motion in me on a number of occasions.
"They do it to get attention for themselves and to get headlines."
The new homeless figures show that homelessness is up 21% since July 2017, with a net increase of 1,731 people.
— Peter McVerry Trust (@PMVTrust) August 29, 2018
Policy failure
Focus Ireland said the increase shows that the Government is now "further away from getting on top of housing and homeless crisis.”
It said that while Minister Murphy is "right to draw attention to the welcome progress in many areas, he also needs to acknowledge that the continued rise in homelessness means that new and better policies are needed."
The charity has also released its own figures highlighting the fact that almost four families became homeless every day in Dublin last month.
It said a total of 122 families with 270 entered homelessness in July - the second highest monthly total since records began almost six years ago.
"Shocking"
Focus Ireland CEO Pat Dennigan said the "shocking" figures show "how far we are from getting on top of the crisis."
"The main reason families are becoming homeless that they are being evicted from losing their homes by private landlords due to properties being sold or repossessed," he said.
"The only solution to this crisis is that, as a society, we must do more to keep families in their existing homes so they never become homeless in the first place.”
He said Focus Ireland supported 614 households on the brink of homelessness in 2017 - and kept them in their homes.
“The current trend of numerous evictions resulting in rising homelessness with the State responding by placing people in hotels or hubs is not sustainable," he said.
"It is failing as not enough families are being re-housed.
"This does not take away from the very real successes; such as we helped over 1,000 households to secure a home and move on from homeless last year in partnership with the State."
Latest emergency accommodation figures are out showing the numbers continue to rise with a shocking 9,891 men, women & children in emergency accommodation in July #homelessness pic.twitter.com/0pdES42tmc
— Simon Communities (@SimonCommunity) August 29, 2018
"Wrong track"
Responding to the figures this afternoon, Sinn Féin's housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin warned that the figures highlight a huge increase in homelessness year-on-year.
He said the overall figure has increased by 21% since the same month last year.
Over the same period, he said, the number of homeless families has shot up by 24% and the number of homeless children has risen by 30%.
“Minister Murphy and his government are failing to tackle the crisis, while Fianna Fáil sits on its hands," he said.
“The government has decided to plough ahead with its failing policies instead of holding its hands up and admitting they are on the wrong track.”
Both Sinn Féin and the Labour Party have warned that they will consider tabling motions of no confidence in Minister Murphy at the next opportunity.
figures only include those in section 10 funded emergency accommodation.They do not include people who are rough sleeping or in squats; people who are hidden homeless staying with friends or relatives; women/adults & children in refuges;those in direct provision #homelessness
— Simon Communities (@SimonCommunity) August 29, 2018
'Vulture funds'
Focus Ireland said repeated claims from Government ministers that tenants will not lose their rights when their mortgages are sold to so-called 'vulture funds' overlooks the fact that they effectively had no protective rights in the first place.
"If their landlord or their landlord's new vulture fund decides they are going to sell up, the tenants have no protection against eviction," said Mr Dennigan.
"We have been calling for action on this loophole for more than two years, and it is now time that the Government acted."
He said international funds buy distressed mortgages for a "quick profit" and warned that Government legislation is urgently needed to "clip the wings of these vultures."
"Unacceptable"
In a statement announcing the figures this afternoon, Minister Murphy said: “Any increase in the number of people accessing emergency accommodation is unacceptable."
"The numbers presenting to homeless services in the Dublin region remains a concern, despite significant progress in exiting individuals and families from emergency accommodation into independent tenancies.
"The situation would be more challenging were it not for the huge efforts being put in to prevention.
"This is possible because new homes are being found for people, but we still need significantly more homes."
He thanked "all involved" in homeless services for their work in ensuring there was enough contingency homeless accommodation available in Dublin during last weekend's visit of Pope Francis to Ireland.
You can listen back to Minister Murphy's appearance on the Hard Shoulder here:
