'There should be no child without a home': Charities seek clarity from Government's housing plan

Former president Mary McAleese said: 'There is real suffering in the lives of thousands of children, and we have the ending of it in our gift.' Photo: Clodagh Kilcoyne/PA

The Government has been urged to provide clear timelines and budgets to end the scourge of homelessness, ahead of the publication of its long-awaited housing plan on Thursday.

Charities in the housing and homelessness sector made separate calls for action, as Simon Communities of Ireland launched its annual report and Focus Ireland received the support of former president Mary McAleese for its campaign to end child homelessness.