Some of the emergency hostel provision being offered to homeless people is so bad that they are better off sleeping rough.

That is according to campaigner Fr Peter McVerry, who says that some of the emergency hostels are a disgrace and are intimidating places.

Speaking at the RENUA Ireland think-in, he said that people in recovery from drug addiction were being placed in rooms with active drug users.

Fr McVerry said that in many cases homeless people are better off sleeping rough:

Fr McVerry warned €2 billion a year was required over a decade to resolve the social housing list, and criticised the Government's social housing strategy.

His comments come only a few days after Anti-Austerity Alliance TD Ruth Coppinger posted a video of cockroaches she says were found at temporary accommodation allocated to a homeless family in Dublin.

Members of Dublin City Council met with Environment Minister Alan Kelly yesterday afternoon to discuss efforts to tackle the homelessness crisis.

The Council announced today that they they have secured an agreement from Minister Kelly to make all vacant housing units in the city available to homeless families by the end of the year.

Fianna Fáil leader on Dublin City Council, Paul McAuliffe, said, “it is completely unacceptable that we have nearly a thousand vacant housing units sitting idle in the city while there are so many homeless families desperate for somewhere to go. Many of these units need very little work to make them suitable homes.

“I welcome the fact that the Minister has now finally agreed to provide the funding necessary to open up these housing units to people on waiting lists. While the number is relatively small in terms of the housing that is needed, this measure will at least provide a much-needed home to nearly a thousand families and individuals," he added.