The Fine Gael leader said he was not trying to create controversy, and nor was he dismissing the State’s “duty of care”, “but you have to have a right to housing in Ireland to be housed”.

The official winter count found there were 118 people sleeping rough in the region in early November

The Cold Weather Strategy focuses on expanding current capacity to meet the “increasing demand for emergency accommodation” while also providing a “targeted response for people who are long-term rough sleeping.”