Sinn Féin has called for the resignation of the Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy in light of the January homeless figures, which party housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin said have reached an "all time high".

Deputy Ó Broin said "The Department of Housing's monthly figures show that the number of people officially classed as homeless by the Department of Housing in January has reached a high of 9,987.

"This is an increase of 234 people on December 2018 including an increase of 65 children and 169 adults.

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"The number of children sleeping in hotel rooms and hubs has reached 3,624 an increase of 11% in one year.

"Last month Minister Murphy claimed that the traditional seasonal drop in homelessness was evidence of his housing plan working. Today's figures show that this is simply not the case. Rebuilding Ireland is failing and will continue to fail.

"The Minister has called the figures disappointing. This is deeply insulting to all those people left homeless as a result of his failures.  Today's figures are an outrage.

"Since Minister Murphy became Minister homelessness has increased by a shocking 26%. He is failing and he must resign. The Government must scrap Rebuilding Ireland and put in place a real plan to tackle Housing and Homelessness crisis."