Housing charity Threshold has called for a plan for the private rental sector to prevent families from becoming homeless.

A rental market strategy was due to be published this autumn but Minister Simon Coveney has said it is still a number of months away.

The Minister says the Residential Tenancies Board is examining a number of European models to develop a plan.

Threshold believe the strategy is needed urgently and that measures to tackle homelessness must be properly funded in the budget.

The chairperson of Threshold, Aideen Hayden, said: “The current crisis in the private rented sector has been caused by a perfect storm of skyrocketing rents, shortage of supply and a regulatory framework that simply does not support long-term renting.

“Ahead of the budget, we are proposing a number of recommendations and solutions to the homelessness crisis.

“These recommendations include supporting low income households and preventing homelessness through the extension of Threshold’s Tenancy Protection Service; establishing a framework for long-term funding of housing advisory services; and conducting an assessment on the level of ‘hidden homelessness’ in Ireland.”