Sinn Féin has slammed Tánaiste Joan Burton for failing to address the housing crisis affecting Ireland.

Leas Uachtaráin Mary Lou McDonald TD said the Tánaiste's approach to housing is 'just like the water charges'.

Speaking to the Tánaiste, Deputy McDonald said: "Your government is unwilling to 'intervene in the market' unless of course it's to give tax-breaks and incentives to developers. There are no breaks for ordinary families and individuals, who all over the country are already struggling to keep a roof over their heads.

"You promised rent certainty and rent control – all Alan Kelly delivered was a two year 'rent freeze' which is in reality just a delayed rent review – and immediate rent increases for some.

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"Your government promised investment in social housing. Alan Kelly boasted of a tenfold increase in social housing build. Let's be clear, that's a tenfold increase from 20 houses."

She continued: "Tánaiste, this is a case of too little and much too late. The reality is that your party, the Labour party, have sided with the landlords and Fine Gael against struggling families. Families that had hoped to own a house. That hope is fading.

"Today we hear that you are stopping local authority tenants from having the right to buy their own home if they haven't paid your water charge. That is some record.

"Your policy in relation to housing is nothing more than waffle. It's recycled statements – it's rhetoric, it's the policy of blaming everybody else, councillors, homeless agencies, campaigners – whoever is at hand to offset the blame but you refuse to take responsibility on these matters. That's the reality and you have set that position out with glorious clarity here today."

(CD/JP)