The number of people in mortgage and rent rent arrears suffering from anxiety and depression is increasing, according to new findings from a suicide prevention charity.

Console said the ongoing housing crisis is having an effect on people's mental health.

Sinn Féin TD David Cullinane has called on the government to take serious measures to address it.

He said: "A home or a place to call home is basic requirement for human existence. Expecting people to live in very unstable environments and in fear that they may not have a roof over their head is bad public policy.

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"In any modern society, the availability of housing for everyone is a basic requirement. The failure of the state to actively intervene to ensure this is the case is just not acceptable.

"Fine Gael and Labour were in power for the past five years, and under their watch, the housing crisis worsened with the result that we now have an emergency on our hands. While the previous Fianna Fáil administration took negative decisions that began a downward trend in social housing builds, the policies pursued by the Fine Gael led coalition worsened an already bad situation.

"In light of this, is it any wonder that people are at their wits-end and unable to sleep at night and having panic attacks.

"Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael must take responsibility for this fiasco."

(CD/LM)