The government has been blamed for the rise in homelessness throughout Ireland.

Sinn Fein claims its refusal to introduce rent certainty and failure to supply social housing is a contributing factor.

Deputy Leader, Mary Lou McDonald, said the government set its face against rent certainty.

She said: "The Private Residential Tenancy Board have confirmed that the cost of renting continues to spiral out of control. At the end of May the average cost of renting a home in Dublin was €1,454 per month. That's €17,500 a year. This is higher than the highest point reached in 2007.

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"Outside Dublin, while rents are below the 2007 peak, they are still rising. These rents are scandalous.

"Because of the failure of previous Governments to ensure an adequate supply of social and affordable housing more and more people find themselves reliant and indeed trapped in the private rental sector.

"So how is a low income family expected to keep pace with these rents? How are working families expected to pay these rents and save for a deposit on their own home at the same time?"

(CD/MH)