Some 1,399 women in the Republic are homeless and 1,072 of these are in the Dublin area, according to the most recent statistics.
The Minister of State for the Environment, Mr Robert Molloy, said the figures for March 1999 showed 990 of the women were in the Dublin Corporation area. A further 29 were in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, seven in Fingal and 46 in South Dublin.
Responding to a written question from the Labour TD Ms Mary Upton, the Minister said the 900 beds available for homeless people in hostels in Dublin were mainly for men, but there were facilities available for homeless women.