SIPTU is calling on the Government to implement rent controls.

The union says it is a common sense approach to dealing with the immediate housing crisis.

The Environment Minister Alan Kelly is expected to unveil rental certainty measures in the coming weeks - after failing to agree measures before the budget.

General Secretary of SIPTU, Jack O'Connor, says he does not understand why there has been such a delay in taking action:

“Many other European countries have had such systems in place for many years, indeed decades, and have seen solid and sustainable investment in the rental sector at the same time, " Jack added. "The argument against rent control also flies in the face of advice from bodies such as the National Economic and Social Council (NESC) and the OECD which have acknowledged that increased rent regulation can have a positive impact on the private rented sector".

Experts believe landlords are seizing on the confusion over controls to hike rents, while at the same time investors are staying out of the market.

However the Residential Landlords Association say landlords are 'anxious' about rent controls, with director Fintan McNamara arguing earlier this week that it would be "a very negative feature for the residential rental market".

Department of the Environment figures have shown there were 738 homeless families in Ireland last month, while 1,571 of those in need of shelter were children.