More social housing should be built in Ireland to address the growing shortage of homes in the country; that's according to People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett.

The call from the Independent politician comes as he prepares to join protesters at a demonstration this afternoon at the NAMA-owned site of the former Deerhunter Pub, Sallynoggin to show that there are areas of land available for building.

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It has been reported that 90,000 people in Ireland are currently waiting on social housing. In the Dun Laoghaire Rathdown area of Dublin, some 4,000 people are on the waiting list.

With this in mind, Deputy Boyd Barrett has said the Deerhunter site would be ideal for social housing.

He explained: "There's no planning restrictions on having social or affordable housing on this site.

"The problem is will on behalf of the Government and NAMA to open these sites up and use them to provide social and affordable housing – when there's an absolute crying need for it all over the city."

Other similar sites named by Mr Boyd Barrett included Cherrywood, The Cottage Homes, Abbeyview House, and Church Road.

(JP/IT)