Over 1,300 children were in emergency homeless accommodation in the first six months of this year.

That's according to the Department of the Environment who said the number of adults in urgent need of a bed is at a high of 3,258.

The number of homeless people in emergency accommodation in Ireland has risen by more than 50 per cent since the start of the year.

Spokesperson for the homeless charity the Simon Community is Niamh Randall.