The Green Party is calling on the state to use RTÉ, Dublin Bus and NAMA lands in Dublin to help solve the housing crisis.

The party's leader Eamon Ryan said the state owned lands hold the key to solving the problem.

Mr Ryan said: "By reserving a suitable site in Dublin City centre for a new RTÉ complex we could free up the 30 acres in Montrose and provide housing for up to 5,000 third level students between there and other sites. Half of the RTÉ lands are underused at the moment and a switch from Dublin 4 to Dublin 1 could be good for the broadcaster and good for both sides of the city.

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"Moving bus garages out of the city centre would also be a win-win solution for both transport and housing policy. It makes no sense for bus drivers to have to come in early each morning to bring a bus back out to the start of their route on the edge of the city. Far better to build purpose built garages on the edge of the city and use the vacant lands for new housing developments that would be located in some of the best sites in the city.

"NAMA should also take a proactive role with the sites that they already control. The Irish Glass Bottle site has been deserted for years and is the perfect location for a major new housing development. The Government has just raised a fifteen year bond at 1.8% interest rate. There is no reason why we should not be able to commit future rental income from student and social rents to be able to raise a similar long term bond to pay for these developments."

(CD/MH)