There are 1,724 homeless families in Ireland - an increase of 31% on last year, according to Focus Ireland.
In it's annual report, the charity says it helped a record number of 14,500 people who were at risk of homelessness in 2017.
It also says it supported over 1 thousand households out of homelessness and into secure homes and provided an additional 184 homes through it's housing wing.
Director of Advocacy at Focus Ireland Mike Allen says the government needs to introduce a dedicated family homelessness strategy: 'There are still over 200 families in Dublin who don't even have a case manager, who have to find their own hotel room every night. It is deeply frustrating that the government hasn't put in place a dedicated family homelessness strategy which would recognise the unique problems that families that are homeless face'.
Alex McGrath. who Focus Ireland helped secure a home. launched the report. He became homeless when the apartment complex he was living in - Priory Hall in Dublin - was condemned: 'Every morning I wake up and think it's great to have this and think about the poor person waking up in the doorway feeling rotten'.
Alex Mc Grath who was previously homeless & secured a home with help from @focusireland & @housingdcc is launching our Annual Report 2017. We raise aprox half of annual budget by donations & corporate support - thanks to all who helped us challenge homelessness & change lives pic.twitter.com/IKJpW5zN1d
— Focus Ireland (@FocusIreland) July 12, 2018
