The Housing Minster has been called to expand the number of Housing First tenancies to 1,000 in order to make an impact in the homeless crisis.

Sinn Fein made the call to Minister Eoghan Murphy following reports two men died sleeping rough in Ireland.

The party's housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin TD confirmed that currently only 180 Housing First tenancies have been created out of a government target of 300 for 2017.

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Deputy Ó Broin called for the number to be increased.

He said: "This is now seven people who have died while sleeping rough in Dublin, Drogheda, Cork, and Bray over the past three months.

"The government does not have the homeless crisis in hand. This month, the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive quarterly rough sleeper count revealed a 33% increase in the number of people forced to sleep on the streets in November.

"The opening of the 200 additional cold weather beds due in mid-December must be brought forward.

"The Minister must also seriously consider adopting the six proposals outlined by the Peter McVerry trust today aimed at tackling the deepening crisis."

(CD/LM)