A man, who was one of the homeless people prevented from sleeping outside a building used by Tánaiste Joan Burton’s department, is to face a fitness-to-plead hearing, a court has ordered.

Government vows to end long-term homelessness by 2016 will fail as 1,400 people a night are seeking emergency shelter in Dublin, campaigners have claimed.

The number of people sleeping rough on the streets of inner city Dublin has increased by 88% since last year.

The State spent over €103m renting property from Nama-hit developers, beef barons, business tycoons, banks and even religious organisations last year.