Government figures that show most of the housing promised this year will be sought through the private market has been condemned by Sinn Féin.

Housing spokesperson, Dessie Ellis, said the government plans to provide access to 5,000 private homes through long-term leasing or shorter-term arrangements with private landlords under the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS).

Deputy Ellis said: "They are denying their central responsibility to provide social housing and seeking to subsidise the private market to house people who ordinarily could not afford their inflated prices.

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"The government had promised to deliver 7,400 social houses this year. But the governments definition of delivering social housing is not one most people would recognise.

"We have over 200,000 people in need of housing in this state, many of those children who are currently in emergency accommodation, sleeping on couches, sharing beds often in housing not fit for habitation. Recently in north Dublin a young women we were helping had to move her children out of their bedroom due to mould which threatened their health. She was already receiving rent supplement.

"The private market is unable or unwilling to deal with this problem. It is up to the state to make a real investment and ensure the right to a home is protected for everyone. We need a major building project for local authority housing as well as policy changes to help allow local authorities to access credit to build homes as they see fit. This is the only way to provide affordable, safe and secure housing for those left out by the high prices of the private market."

(CD/IT)