The number of children accessing emergency accommodation now stands at 3,895, its highest ever level since records began.
The number of people housed in emergency accommodation nationally last month was 12,691, according to new figures released by the Department of Housing this afternoon.
This is a reduction of 156 when compared with the figures released in July.
However, the department also said there has been a mistatement of homelessness figures due to data collection errors at the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive.
The DRHE now has appointed an independent person to review the data for the Dublin region.
The Simon Communities of Ireland said that once the data discrepancy is accounted for there has actually been an increase of increase of 152 people in emergency accommodation (1%) since July.
Wayne Stanley, Executive Director of the Simon Communities of Ireland, said that once the incorrect number of 308 single adults is removed from July's figure of 12,847, the correct national figure for July is 12,539.
Thus today’s national figure of 12,691 is more correctly understood as an increase of 152 people in the month from July to August.
According to the new figures released by the department, there were 8,796 adults and 3,895 children in emergency accommodation in August.
Figures 'really disappointing' - Richmond
Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise Neale Richmond described the latest figures as "really disappointing".
He said the Government has "lifted" more than 4,000 people out of homelessness in the past year, "but that unfortunately more than that have slipped into homelessness".
He told RTÉ's Drivetime: "We have to build more homes this year than we did last year; we're on course to do that.
"We've delivered more social housing, cost-rental, affordable and private, but equally, particularly in the next ten days coming up to the Budget, we have to look at the reasons people are slipping into homelessness."
However, Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Housing Eoin Ó Broin blamed "wrong policies" by Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil which have led to "social and affordable housing targets being missed".
He told Drivetime: "For whatever a period of time a child is in emergency accomodation we know that has huge impacts on their physical and emotional development and their wellbeing, and obviously on adults as well.
"The problem here is both homeless service providers, experts in the field and those of us in opposition, have now for some years been putting on the table a range of policies and emergency responses that if Government implemented, these numbers would be going down."
The Dublin Regional Homeless Executive said that most of the errors that occurred in calculating the numbers of people accessing emergency accommodation occurred between April and July of this year.
Mary Hayes, Director of Dublin Region Homeless Executive, said she was confident that the figures released today for August are correct, but said they would have to adjust the figures issued in previous months when the errors occurred.
She said as a result it was not currently possible to directly compare August and July's figures of those in emergency accommodation.
Ms Hayes said the number will be adjusted but the difference was likely to be marginal.
External review
The department said earlier that it "has also engaged with the County and City Management Association (CCMA) in order to confirm the robustness and integrity of emergency accommodation data collection nationwide.
"The CCMA has agreed to an external review of processes and procedures for the collection of this data across all nine regional homeless leads in order to ensure the accuracy of the data.
"Separately, the Housing Agency is now engaged with stakeholders to develop proposals on what further comprehensive metrics can be used to provide richer data in relation to emergency accommodation experiences."
Minister for Housing Darragh O'Brien said: "Reliable, accurate and accessible data is vital to the work of my Department and in maintaining public trust.
"Any statistical errors are concerning and we have put in place a number of processes to ensure the integrity of the data going forward.
"I will review and expedite any recommendations arising from this work to uphold robust data collection in this vital area."
Sinn Féin housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin called the figures "deeply, deeply depressing".
Mr Ó Broin blamed "wrong policies" by the two largest Government parties, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, leading to "social and affordable housing targets being missed".
He added the only way to end the housing crisis was a general election and a change of government.
