Green Party TD Patrick Costello has said he was frustrated that the no-fault eviction ban was to be lifted without the necessary supports in place, stating he raised the issues directly with the Minister for Housing Darragh O'Brien.

Speaking on RTÉ's Late Debate however, he said that while the initiative was "last minute" he believed that the required measures for tenants served with notices to quit would be there.

Earlier today, the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told the Dáil that the Government would increase emergency accommodation for people who need it.

But he insisted that 4,000 notices to quit rented homes will not result in 4,000 families having to move to emergency accommodation.

He said that he knows what homelessness is and asked the Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald to "stop pretending" her party had more compassion.

Ms McDonald urged every TD to back the party's proposal to extend the eviction ban until the end of January 2024 and asked them not to vote their own constituents into homelessness.

She said homeless figures only represent the tip of the iceberg and thousands of hidden homeless people will stay with friends and family.

"It's sofa surfing. It's back with your mam and dad if you are lucky. It's families separated," Ms McDonald told the Dáil.

Sinn Féin's housing spokesperson dismissed as "a stunt" the Government move to table a "reasoned amendment" to his party's bill on extending the evictions ban to April 2024.

The Government move means that TDs will tomorrow vote on its amendment rather than a yes/no vote on the Sinn Féin bill.

Eoin Ó Broin said the Government was tabling its amendment out of fear that its majority would whittle away.

Minister for Housing Darragh O'Brien accused Sinn Féin of demonising the private rental sector, driving away landlords and reducing properties.

He said the party had contradictory positions and had changed its mind on the dates for the end of the eviction ban three times by initially calling for it to end of New Years Eve, then January 2024 and now April 2024.

The Minister said the Government was taking the responsible decision while Sinn Féin was engaging in "short-termism".

Tomorrow there will be a vote on a Labour Party no-confidence motion in the Government, which would trigger an election if the Coalition was defeated.

Independent TD Peter Fitzpatrick said he will not support the Government tomorrow in both the confidence motion and in the vote on the Sinn Féin Bill to extend the evictions ban.

"I fundamentally agree with the principle of every person having access to housing," he said.

'Horse trading' with Govt

People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett attacked Independents who are "horse trading" with the Government and planning to support the coalition in a no-confidence vote tomorrow.

He said the Independents "should be ashamed of themselves" for backing the "heartless and cruel" Government which is letting the evictions ban lapse.

He said the 750,000 people in private rental accommodation should have security of tenure.

In response Mr Varadkar said if the no confidence motion succeeds, the Dáil would be dissolved and the Government would not be dissolved and the ban on evictions would continue to lapse.

He said it was up to Independents to decide for themselves what way they wished to vote.

Additional reporting Mícheál Lehane