Focus Ireland has called for an overhaul of the Government's housing system in response to what it sees as a growing crisis.
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Speaking at the publication of the organisation’s annual report, Life President Sr Stanislaus Kennedy said: "The Government has failed to live up to its housing commitments under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness(PPF).
"This means that the housing waiting list will continue to rise and the length of time people are waiting before they are housed will be even longer than even before," she said. "We cannot stand by and allow a system to continue that systematically and disproportionately benefits the most privileged".
Sr Kennedy said the situation is set to get even worse following announcements of cost-cutting measures made by the Department of the Environment last week.
The Department indicated "turn-key" developments, where local authorities buy an estate from a private developer to help tackle the housing output shortfall, will now be subject to more stringent measures
Forcus chief executive Mr Declan Jones said this was "a worrying development". He said Focus Ireland is calling for the provision of more emergency and permanent accommodation to be made a priority issue by the Government.
"Rocketing rents," he said have ensured that the "private rented sector no longer provides a safety net for people to stop them from becoming homeless".
According to figures published by Focus Ireland, it is estimated housing waiting lists shot up by 35 per cent between 1999 and 2001 from 39,000 to 54,000, which represents about 140,000 men, women and children.