More than one thousand children under the age of eight will spend this Christmas in homeless accommodation this year.
According to figures to be published next month, three in every five children who find themselves on the streets or housed temporarily in B&Bs and hotels are aged eight or younger while twenty per cent are under the age of 12.
Focus Ireland Director of Advocacy Mike Allen described the situation as "deeply shocking".
"It is little over year ago that we put the rights of children in our constitution." he said.
"But when you think of these 1,000 very young children living in emergency accommodation at Christmas, it reminds you of how much more we have to do to make that a reality."
