Focus Ireland is calling for the next government to deliver 40,000 social houses.

The homelessness charity says political parties need to stand by their pre-election promises to tackle the housing crisis.

The charity also wants the new programme for government to include a commitment to end family homelessness.

Focus Ireland says there are more than 1,800 children in nearly 900 families who are homeless in Ireland.

Spokesperson for the charity Roughan Mac Namara, says meaningful and urgent action is needed to deal with the current crisis:

Architect Dermot Bannon says that the issues of supply are what is crippling the housing market: