Newly released figures show there were 738 homeless families in Ireland in September.

The Department of the Environment says 1,571 of those in need of shelter were children - and a total of 4,999 people were without a bed last month.

The figures come on a night when 125 business leaders across the country, including Newstalk's Bobby Kerr, are sleeping rough to highlight the homelessness crisis as part of Focus Ireland's 'Shine A Light' campaign.

The department has stressed that Budget 2016 has allocated €70 million to tackle the issue - an increase of 32% on last year.

They add that "an additional €125 million has been allocated for the provision of social housing in 2016. This brings the net spend next year to €811 million".

Environment, Community & Local Government Minister Alan Kelly and Minister for Housing, Planning and Construction Paudie Coffey say they will continue to work will all local authorities to deal with the homeless situation.

The Government has already approved a programme for early delivery of 500 units of modular housing, with the first 150 expected to be delivered within four months in the Dublin City Council area.

Meanwhile, the Minister for Agriculture and Defence says he knows nothing of the Labour Party's plans for a rent regulator.

The Tánaiste is suggesting the body, which would be given powers to control rent prices, as part of the Government's housing package.

Minister Simon Coveney says the Government's plan is to stimulate housebuilding to provide more homes.

And he says he has not seen any Labour proposals on a regulator: