August sees third consecutive monthly rise in homelessness

Director of advocacy at Focus Ireland, Mike Allen, said: "The State must take a far stronger role if we are to fix our broken housing system."

The number of people homeless across the country has risen for the third month in a row, as the latest figures show 8,212 adults and children without a home.

Data from the Department of Housing, published today, recorded 6,023 adults and 2,189 children as being homeless during August. It says the total has risen from the 8,132 people counted as homeless by the Government in July.