Under this government, there has been a 'catastrophic' failure to deliver on housing.

That is according to Labour Leader Ivana Bacik, who was speaking at the second night of the party conference in Cork.

The attitudes and decisions of the coalition are contributing to the homelessness crisis too, she says.

"This failure is causing record homelessness", she said.

"Over 11,700 people, each one with an individual story of distress and hardship, like the young mother who contacted me in despair, facing the cliff edge of eviction next week with no prospect of finding a home anywhere in her community."

Eviction ban

This week te Government won a Dáil vote opposing a Sinn Féin motion to extend the eviction ban.

Deputies voted 83 Tá, 68 Níl on the motion.

The move had been widely expected after the regional group of Independent TDs agreed to support the Government.

The group had issued eight demands that must be met for its support and the Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien suggested he would accept the amendments.

Minister O'Brien held talks with some of the group's eight TDs before a debate on Tuesday.

Green Party TD Neasa Hourigan voted Níl, losing her the party whip.

While homelessness continued to rise during the eviction ban, it is believed that figures would have been higher had the moratorium not been in place.

'Landhoarders'

Bacik says the government continues to turn to the private market instead of fixing its own mistakes.

"Again and again, this government has turned to the private market to solve its own mess", she said.

"And again and again, developers, speculators and landhoarders have shown that they can't and won' deliver the homes that our communities need."

Main image shows Labour Leader Ivana Bacik speaking during the annual Labour Party think-in. Picture by: Sam Boal / Photocall Ireland