Fianna Fáil Whip Seán Ó Fearghaíl has accused the Government of trying to mask the scale of the housing crisis and "disappear" 77,000 people from the waiting list.

Deputy Ó Fearghaíl raised the issue last week in the Dáil with the Taoiseach and commented: "Under the provisions of the new Housing Bill going through the Dáil at the moment people currently on rent allowance will move to the local authority where they will be in receipt of a housing assistance payment.

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"Clearly, the intention of the Government is to disappear 77,000 people off the housing waiting list. Under the Bill, as envisaged, those people will no longer remain on the local authority waiting list. This is nothing more than a sleight of hand from the Government and it won't wash.

"Homelessness is a major crisis in the country at the moment and the Government has indicated a commitment to deal with this problem yet we see this legislation being proposed in the Dáil. This lack of clarity and commitment is unacceptable."

(CD/JP)