The Government's housing plan has been slammed by Fianna Fáil.

The party believes it is "just a rehash of plans launched in November" and said it will make "absolutely no difference" to the 90,000 families who need a home.

Environment spokesperson Barry Cowen said: "Not a single dent has been made in the housing crisis that has been left to escalate completely and utterly out of control.

"The Government has been systematically cutting the money available for social housing over the last 4 years. Now with just months to go to an election, Fine Gael and Labour are suddenly waking up to the crisis that they have created. Grant money provided to councils for social housing units was slashed from almost €115 million in 2012 to just over €80 million last year. Mayo County Council did not buy a single social housing unit in 2012 and 2013. No money was spent on new builds in Waterford city or county in 2013 or in Co Longford or Co Tipperary last year as cuts came into effect.

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"The reality is that this Government has reneged on every single promise it has made to families who desperately need a home. Just two months ago, Minister Kelly told me in reply to a Parliamentary Question that he would build 1,400 social housing units by the end of this year. Now it seems this figure has been drastically downscaled, with it taking until the end of 2017 to build 1,700 homes. None of the houses promised by Minister Kelly will be built before the next election, so once again home seekers are expected to just take the Minister on his word."

(CD/MH)