Fr Peter McVerry said it is because of their safety and comradeship that so many people who are homeless elect to live in tents.

The new processional statue will be formally unveiled later this month as part of events to mark the 140th anniversary of the Knock apparitions in 1879.

Wednesday, 21st August marks the 140th anniversary of the apparition in 1879, and a special day of celebration is planned to mark the occasion.

Clonmel parish priest told Leo Varadkar that he personally found the comment “extremely offensive and derogatory” and he urged him to retract it.

“A lot of people don’t feel safe going into emergency one-night hostels because they get robbed, they get assaulted, they are offered drugs,” Jesuit campaigner warns.

Students at Dublin school are hopeful they can match last year's donations which raised almost €200,000 for Focus Ireland, the Peter McVerry Trust and Home Again.

Catholic Bishop of Meath and Church of Ireland Primate focus on the human cost of the homeless crisis in their Christmas messages.

Thousands of homeless children have become the norm and no longer shocks us. We have lost our sense of outrage,” - Fr Peter McVerry.

“The policy of the past 25 years has led to a chronic under-supply of real social housing. It has resulted in the homelessness crisis we are now experiencing,” warns Fr Peter McVerry.

If the current rate of people becoming homeless continues, there will be 8,300 people living in homeless accommodation when the Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe announces details of Budget 2018.

The Government introduced their housing strategy nine months ago and every single month since then the number of homeless people keeps rising and rising and rising. We need them to go back to the drawing board, said Fr Peter McVerry.

We believe Peter McVerry Trust’s expertise will help create positive outcomes for those in homelessness – Pat Doyle, CEO.

“When you serve the poor, help the suffering or those in need, God will find you,” Fr Peter McVerry tells Transition Year students in County Tipperary.

In a new one-hour television documentary ‘Peter McVerry: A view from the Basement’, which will air on RTÉ One tonight, the Jesuit priest tells the Government, “We ignore the drug problem at our peril.”

Fr Peter McVerry appeals for emergency legislation to prevent the banks and landlords from evicting families, particularly those with children, into homelessness.

"I think they are living the gospel of Jesus, the gospel message of caring and compassion, even though they may not be coming to church.”

"Shocking to learn that people in prison spend so much time locked in their cell" - Joanne O’Riordan at the launch of 'Developing Inside: Transforming Prison for Young Adults'.

“Youthreach transmits fundamentally important values that the student has a value as a person regardless of past achievements.”

Given the scale & implications of the housing & homelessness crisis, it's disappointing the issue hasn't featured far more prominently in election debates: Fr McVerry.

“It is important that both politicians and the electorate think about the profoundly damaging impact the housing & homelessness crisis is having on so many."

Jesuit Fr Peter McVerry warns that there are a lot more people “on the edge of homelessness” than is realised.

‘The Christmas Presence’ should be "compulsory reading for everyone before we rush off to do our Christmas shopping” - Fr Peter McVerry.

According to CEO Pat Doyle this year’s client numbers will break all records.

Fr Peter McVerry to speak on homelessness, Sharan Kelly of Tearfund will speak about persecution, and Philip McKinley will address the topic of integration.

“It is up to communities and parents to be as educated as possible to spot warning signs of drug abuse in teenagers and young adults.”

Call for modular housing to start coming on stream for the homeless before Christmas.

Cursillo was introduced into Derry Diocese in 1985 and to date over 5,000 people have experienced a Cursillo weekend.

“We are satisfied that Mother Jones, if she was alive today, would have been very proud of Fr Peter for his ability to highlight the social injustice of homelessness.”

21,000 additional residential units required each year over the next three years to meet demand.

“We are honouring Mr Ban for his leadership in mobilising the international community to address climate change, forge a new development agenda.”