A homelessness charity has said health spending has not kept pace with the increasing number in emergency accommodation.
In its annual impact report, Dublin Simon Community said that health funding has actually decreased while the number of homeless people has more than quadrupled.
Health funding for homelessness services was €36.1 million in 2008, when there were just under 1,400 homeless people in Dublin at the time.
Since then the numbers in emergency accommodation has soared to nearly 5,600 in Dublin but health funding has actually decreased by €3.5m.
Dublin Simon is planning to nearly double the number of detox beds for homeless people but its CEO Sam McGuinness said this will be very challenging with the lack of health funding.
He said the situation is causing lasting damage to the people involved.
"The lack of appropriate health investment, mental health and addiction services is causing lasting damage to people who are homeless," Mr McGuinness added.
"We see every day in our services the devastating impact this is having on our clients, as the range of mental health and social care services are simply not there.
"The wider societal impact of this is untold as we continue to face the worst homeless crisis in the history of our state."
The Department of Health said a new mobile health unit for homeless people will be launched by the end of the month and funding will be increased by €2.5m next year.
