Sinn Féin TD Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire hit out at Housing Minister Simon Coveney for failing to introduce a "realistic plan" to address the issue.

He also urged the Government to bring some of the 198,000 vacant properties in Ireland back into use to help ease the housing crisis.

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He said: "There are countless vacant properties in Cork city and in surrounding areas such as Carrigaline, Ballincollig, and Passage West that could be made available to families languishing in emergency accommodation if the political will was there.

"The Government must explore the possibility of acquiring these units, something which my party colleague Deputy Eoin Ó Broin has raised time and time again.

"It's time the Minister and the Government took a different approach and ended this ever worsening crisis."

(CD/LM)