Homelessness in County Cavan has risen by 500% in two years, it has been revealed.

The revelation was made at a Sinn Féin public meeting 'Making Homes a Priority – Tackling the Housing Crisis in Ireland', held in the Farnham Arms Hotel on Monday.

The meeting was hosted by Senator Kathryn Reilly and Councillor Eugene Greenan.

Senator Kathryn Reilly said: "The social housing crisis is getting worse. The number of people on council waiting lists is rising. The length of time families have to wait on these lists is lengthening. The cost to the state of subsidising the private rent of these families is increasing.

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"We have heard that there were 1,171 were on the housing waiting list and 78 vacant social houses in Cavan at the end of 2015. Coupled with this, we have seen homelessness increase from 28 in 2013 to 172 in 2015. Homelessness is not an issue reserved for urban centres like Dublin or Cork; it is very real here in Cavan.

"With property and rental costs increasing at an alarming rate in Cavan, and across the county, there is a serious possibility that even more people will become frozen out of the housing market; and as a result of the government's complete lack of social housing builds and massive social housing waiting lists, many more people are at a serious risk of ending up homeless.

"The housing crisis can and must be tackled, there is no short cut. The answer is obviously simple, we need to start building houses again. We need rent control and we need to ensure quality building standards. We need to stop the profiteering of banks at the cost of mortgage holders.

"All of this is possible, the resources are available, but it requires the political will. Sinn Féin has led out a plan to tackle the issue. Sinn Féin in government will deliver that plan."

(CD/JP)