Thousands of people have attended a major housing crisis protest in Dublin.

Housing and homeless charities were joined by trade unions, civil society groups and students for the 'Raise the Roof' rally yesterday, 03 October, as they marched from the Garden of Remembrance to Leinster House.

The marchers were joined outside Leinster House by members of Irish Congress of Trade Unions, representatives of political parties and a number of housing groups.

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The rally and protest comes ahead of a motion on homelessness and housing which is due to appear in the Dáil this afternoon.

It is understood that up to 100 students are involved in an ongoing sit down protest outside Government Buildings.

Sinn Féin Housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin said: "The 20,000 people who gathered outside the Dáil today were there to tell this government that their housing policy is not working and that they demand better.

"They represented hundreds of thousands more people. All the young people locked out of secure and affordable accommodation. Families trapped in emergency accommodation and single people stuck in hostels or rough sleeping.

"They also represented the workers paying more than 30% of their income on rent or mortgages, the Travellers living in squalor and migrants living in appalling conditions or trapped in direct provision."