Families are cast adrift outside the margins of society because there is no right to shelter for homeless children, an independent law centre has claimed.

The average rent in Ireland now stands at €1,060 a month, according to data drawn from all new tenancy agreements registered with the Residential Tenancies Board.

A homeless woman and her six-year-old son had “no idea” yesterday where they would sleep last night after their demand for the immediate provision of emergency accommodation by Carlow County Council was thrown out by the High Court.