The Simon Communities of Ireland are gathering experts for a forum today on what they call the country's 'housing and homelessness crisis'.

Latest figures put the number of people living in emergency accommodation at nearly 5 thousand, including more than a thousand children.

A range of speakers in the areas of social policy, property and Simon itself will address the event in Dublin.

They include Simon's National Spokesperson Niamh Randall - she says immediate solutions must be found: