Updated: 09.50
The Government is to reveal its plan to ease the homeless crisis.
Part one is being released at a Housing Summit in Dublin's Custom House, which is getting underway.
Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy is meeting with the chief executives of the 31 local authorities.
Minister of State Damien English will also attend the summit.
Anthony Flynn, co-founder of Inner City Helping Homeless, confronted Minister Murphy as he entered the building.
.@AnthonyICHH confronts Housing Minister @MurphyEoghan ahead of Housing Summit this morning. pic.twitter.com/wc8ytcSLcb
— Sean Defoe (@SeanDefoe) September 8, 2017
A number of protesters chained themselves to the gates outside the venue earlier.
The objective of the summit is to explore additional measures to assist in helping to house families and individuals currently in emergency accommodation and those accessing emergency state supports.
It comes as the latest figures show there are more than 8,000 homeless people in this country.
It shows 8,160 people, including 2,973 children, were homeless in July of this year.
The figures include 1,429 families. That is an increase of 26% over the past year alone.
Commenting on the figures, Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy said: "Repairing our broken housing sector is my top priority as Minister. These homelessness figures are a reminder of the scale of the challenge we face.
"As I have previously said, we must continue to work hard and redouble our efforts. There is no shortage of will or determination to deal with this issue. Resources are not an obstacle to the urgent efforts required."
Protests being held outside Ministers Department as housing summit gets underway pic.twitter.com/qhxlxIdJWG
— Sean Defoe (@SeanDefoe) September 8, 2017
Sinn Féin Councillor Daithi Doolan says local authorities have been left out of the loop of the housing plan.
"We're going to be outside the Customs House at 9 o'clock with our elected councillors, saying first and foremost the minister has an obligation to talk to us about any plans.
"We have a crisis and we've got solutions.
"If the minister wants to talk solutions, we'll be outside on the Customs House quays at 9 o'clock".
Additional reporting: Sean Defoe
