Homeless crisis is an emergency, concedes Varadkar; Housing minister faces vote of no confidence as criticism mounts

Leo Varadkar has been forced to admit the worsening homelessness crisis is a national “emergency” as campaigners rounded on the Government’s policies which have left 10,000 people without homes.

Admitting there was an “extremely disturbing” rise in the numbers of homeless, the Taoiseach conceded the Government needed to drill down into why its policies were not working.

His most trusted minister who oversees housing, Eoghan Murphy, could now face a Dáil motion of no confidence after the Easter break, amid calls for him to be fired over the crisis.