€170m spent to put homeless families in emergency accommodation last year

The Dublin Regional Homeless Executive spent €170m putting homeless families up in emergency accommodation last year.

That is up 19% on the figure in 2018.

Details released under the Freedom of Information Act show that 19 hotels across the capital received in excess of €1m, with one being paid between €4m and €5m.

People Before Profit Councillor Tina McVeigh, who is also co-chair of the National Homeless and Housing Coalition says more public houses are urgently needed.

"Certainly the resources are there, the resources that are building hotels and student accommodation and office blocks can easily be diverted towards building housing," she said.

"There's no doubt that the resources are there but it is going to take a little bit of time. Unfortunately, I think we're going to see the scale of the problem continue until there is serious action on building housing."