The official homelessness figures are under reporting the "true level" of homeless people, a Sinn Fein TD has claimed.
The Department of Housing's latest figures stated there were 8,914 homeless people in the state - 2,438 less than were listed in the Sinn Fein report.
The difference emerges because the Housing Department's figures do not include those in domestic violence refuges, homeless hostels that do not get Government funding, Direct Provision centres and rough sleepers.
There were 1,640 people in Direct Provision, 599 in domestic abuse refuges, 94 rough sleepers on Dublin streets and 105 in homeless hostels, according to the Sinn Fein report.
Eoin O Broin, Sinn Fein's Spokesperson on Housing, said there are 27% more people accessing homeless services than reported.
He said: "The reality is that, based on the information provided by government departments and service providers, Sinn Fein estimate that the real number of people accessing homeless services is closer to 11,352. That is 27% more people are accessing homeless services than the government is currently counting.
“The Department of Housing’s most recent monthly report indicates in December 2021 that there were 6,463 adults, 2,451 children and 1,077 families living in emergency accommodation."
He added: “However, there are adults and children in emergency accommodation funded by other government agencies; including Tusla and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth"
According to the latest figures available from the Department of Children, there were 1,640 adults and children who have been granted status, trapped in direct provision centres as of December 2021.
This is an increase of 60% in just one year and an increase of 165% in three years, the report says.
In terms of women and children living in domestic violence accommodation, the report did not have figures for the past three years on the number of bed spaces provided. However, information from Tusla in 2018 indicates that, on any given night, there are 599 beds available in the system and these are usually at capacity.
The 100 plus people staying in emergency accommodation providers, such as Morning Star and Regina Coeli, that are not funded by the State, are also not counted the report added.
Mr O Broin said: “This is not about statistics or numbers. It is about human beings; the women, men and children living in emergency accommodation. For the government to be able to adequately plan and deliver homes, they need to know what the real level of housing need is.
“The real problem is that not enough social homes are being built. Not enough were delivered last year, partly due to Covid-19, but mostly due to government bureaucracy. The social housing targets must be revised upwards and so too must the Housing First targets. 250 new tenancies a year is not sufficient."
A spokesman for the Housing Department said: "The Government agrees that it is important that each of these cohorts is counted. It allows us to plan for services and supports that may be required and to address the particular issues that these groups may experience.
"The collation of statistics in relation to each of these groups is a matter for the agency or Department responsible for providing services to each group."
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