Almost 600 families became homeless in Dublin in the first seven months of this year, according to the Dublin Region Homeless Executive.

Figures from the statutory body show that the number of children within families who are homeless in the city has exceeded 2,000 for the first time since current records began.

The Government has said it wants to ensure that by this time next year using hotels for families who are on the streets will only happen in limited circumstances.

Focus Ireland said that the deepening crisis highlights the scale of the challenge facing the Government.

“There’s a range of things we need to do to prevent families becoming homeless,” said director of advocacy Mike Allen.

“There’s an increasing pattern of families becoming homeless because landlords are giving up being landlords, they’re selling up.

“We need something to stop that. We’ve proposed before that some tax relief for landlords, some ways in which you can support landlords to remain offering accommodation would be part of the picture of what you need to deliver.”