Laws should be introduced to put a time limit on how long children can stay in emergency accommodation, a new study has recommended.
The Family and Child Homelessness report has cross-party political support and is set to be launched today.
The report will say children run the risk of being institutionalised from spending too long in hotels or other temporary accommodation.
In England, people can spend a maximum of six weeks in "unsuitable temporary accommodation", while there is a seven-day limit in Scotland.
The report also recommends ending the practice of forcing people in emergency accommodation to leave the building during the day.
Fianna Fáil's Spokesperson on Children and Youth Affairs, Anne Rabbitte says it is important families have access to facilities during the day
"Mothers or dads have to spend their time walking around the streets trying to punch in a couple of hours while the kids are either at school or particularly during the summertime when they don't know what to do when the weather is bad and everything else, walking around with three or four children."