A total of 16,353 people in the State have been recorded as homeless, according to the latest figures from the Department of Housing.
Figures for August show the number of people in emergency accommodation increased by 295 from the previous month, with 131 of them children.
The figures mean there has been an increase of 1,867 people (12.9%) in emergency accommodation in a year.
A total of 2,391 were families, marking a 13.9% (292) increase in one year.
The number of homeless children has risen by 16.4%, or 726, in that time.
A total of 5,145 children are living in emergency accommodation.
There are now a total of 1,950 people aged 18-24 in emergency accommodation, which is up 12% in a year and 252 were over 65, marking a 12.5% increase.
The Simon Communities of Ireland said that foundations must be laid in Budget 2026.
Chief Executive Ber Grogan has said that if the Government cares and is serious about reducing homelessness, then housing and outcome-driven investment must form a central plank of Budget 2026.
Focus Ireland CEO Pat Dennigan said that to deal with homelessness housing needs to be provided but so too does support to get people out of homelessness. Both go hand in hand.
CEO of the older people's advocacy group Alone Seán Moynihan called on the Government to ensure 25% of the houses it builds are reserved for older people.
Speaking on RTÉ’s News at One, Mr Moynihan said housing was the third highest issue for Alone last year.
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"What people may not realise is that the number of over 65s renting has gone up 83% in the last Census and that, in some ways, is the thin end of the wedge because we know behind that more and more people are retiring into old age, into private rented [accommodation].
"Ultimately, there’s a bigger wedge behind that of people in their 40s and 50s that are heading in this direction," Mr Moynihan said.
He added: "The Government has plans in the Programme for Government to build 330,000 houses and we're going to like the stats show that 25% of that needs to go to older people.
"With an ageing population, a smaller family size you need to be building an awful lot more smaller houses around the country so people can buy and afford in earlier life."
Rise in homelessness result of 'failing housing plan' - SF
Sinn Féin's Eoin Ó Broin said the "relentless month on month rise in levels of homelessness" is a result of the Government's "failing housing plan".
"It is not their number one priority despite what they are saying," he said.
He called on Minister for Housing James Browne to include emergency measures in his housing plan and said tax breaks for developers will fail if they are introduced in Budget 2026.
Mr Ó Broin said these measures would include a temporary ban on no-fault evictions, increasing funding for tenant in situ, a greater allocation of existing local authorities' stock to people experiencing homelessness and the use of emergency procurement and planning powers.
He said the minister also needs to double his social and affordable housing targets.
Mr Ó Broin said Mr Browne is "directly responsible" for the increases in homelessness.
"Unless there is radical changes in his revised housing plan, this crisis is going to continue to deepen," Mr Ó Broin said.
In a statement the Department of Housing said that the cornerstone measure to support everyone - including older people - who are currently in temporary state accommodation to exit into safe and secure long term accommodation and tenancies, is through the boosting supply of social and affordable homes.
It said the Government is also "specifically committed" to increasing the supply of housing for older people – building on the policy objectives in Housing for All - to increase housing available to older people and facilitate ageing in place "with dignity and independence".
"This work will be continue to be advanced through specific measures in the new Housing Plan that will be published in the coming weeks," it said.
In the meantime, the Department said it would continue to fund Approved Housing Bodies, to provide new social homes for priority categories including housing for older people.
