Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy has said the Government will support Labour party legislation to compel housing authorities to recognise the needs of children and families who become homeless.
Minister Murphy told the Dáil that the bill was well-intentioned and would receive Government approval.
Introducing the bill, Labour's housing spokesperson Jan O'Sullivan said that when a family presents as homeless there should be a particular recognition of the needs of children, and housing authorities should have regard to those needs.
She said there is currently no explicit recognition in law for the needs of a homeless family as a family unit, and there is no legislation underpinning the rights of homeless children.
She said she hoped her bill would prevent children being sent to Garda stations or having to sleep on the streets.
McVerry 'furious' over comments about homelessness
Homeless crisis reports 'damage Ireland's reputation'
Fianna Fáil TD Barry Cowen said his party would be supporting the legislation.
He said it was the duty of TDs to do what they could to assist families who find themselves living in homelessness.
He also said "it is the duty of the Government not to seek to construe the current figures as somehow normal".
He said schemes in relation to fast build units should be honoured, and that "commitments in relation to this whole process yield results".
Mr Murphy said "very significant work is being carried out across the sector to tackle and address the homeless crisis"
Sinn Féin's Eoin Ó Broin said the legislation would have a real practical impact.
"We all have experience of families who have presented as homeless and they are split up.
"That idea that law would recognise the family unit, is important in tackling that particular problem" he said.
He said it was a very bad number of days for the public debate on homelessness.
He criticised comments by the chair of the housing agency, and the head of the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive as "deeply unfortunate".
"The idea that homelessness will always be with us, or was a result of bad behaviour displayed a Victorian attitude" he said.
But, he said, the most disturbing comments were made by the Taoiseach who said Ireland has a low level of homelessness compared to international peers.
He called on the Taoiseach to withdraw the comments, claiming they deliberately downplayed the problem of homelessness.
