A new report for the Department of the Environment has suggested that homeless charities are not good value for money.

The report has raised concerns about how charities spend the almost €96m in funding they get from the state.

The Sunday Independent reports that it suggests there is a level of crossover and duplication achieved by having multiple homeless charities.

The report also reveals about €20,000 euro per homeless person is being spent by the government, before donations to charities are considered.

However, Father Peter McVerry, who works with homeless people in Dublin, has said that it exceeds €30,000 in some cases and there are cheaper alternatives.

“If you put 10 homeless people into a hostel, that hostel has to be staffed 24/7 and it’s going to cost €30,000 per homeless person per year,” said Fr McVerry.

“If you put 10 homeless people into 10 apartments for the majority of homeless people one person can support them. So the cost of supporting them in their own apartments works out at €5,000 or €6,000 a year - much, much cheaper. ”