There are over 20,000 homes lying empty in Northern Ireland despite over 37,300 people currently waiting for social housing, according to the SDLP.

North Belfast MLA Nichola Mallon is calling on the Government to do more to tackle the housing crisis.

She said: "In North Belfast this crisis is forcing families with very young children into hostels. They are promised this will only ever be a temporary solution but one year, two years on they are still stuck there.

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"Today, it is clear that in bringing forward two very different amendments that the two parties of Government are completely divided on how best to tackle this crisis. How can we have any faith in their ability to agree on a way forward when they can't even agree amongst themselves when responding to Opposition parties.

"The British Government has announced a massive increase in spending on housing in Britain through the Home Building Fund and yet the Communities Minister is still not in a position to tell us how much money will flow to NI as a result and he has yet to give a commitment that he will ring-fence any money for new-build social and affordable housing.

"The way forward is clear and in many ways it is simple; the Government must build more houses."

(CD/LM)