Father Peter McVerry is calling for an immediate increase of 28% in rent supplement to prevent more families from becoming homeless.

The social campaigner says some 200 families and 200 individuals have become homeless in the last two months alone.

The new Oireachtas Committee on the issue will resume its work tomorrow – with a report due by the middle of next month.

Father McVerry says emergency legislation is needed to stop evictions.

He said: “While they’ve been talking about forming a government, probalby another 200 families and another 200 individuals have become homeless.

“There is an urgency about this that is not reflected in the political system. There are ways to resolve it, we need an increase in the rent supplement, not of 15% but of 28%.

“We also need legislation to prevent the banks from turfing families out until they have alternative accommodation to go to.”