Sinn Fein has hit out at Housing Minister Simon Coveney and accused him of "rowing back" on housing homeless families.

Spokesperson for Housing Eoin Ó Broin TD has called on the Minister to provide a timeline as how his Department in tandem with the four Dublin local authorities plans to move the 850 families in hotel rooms into more suitable accommodation.

Deputy Ó Broin said: "The Minister stated that some families would be accommodated in rapid builds, some via HAP tenancies, some via Homeless HAP, some in traditional social housing and others in family hubs.

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"In relation to the use of family hubs, I specifically asked him if there were plans by his Department to re-designate unsuitable hotels as family hubs. The Minister did not answer my question, which is worrying as a lot of homeless families just need a home. They do not need to live in fully supported accommodation or 'transition centres'.

"No one should have to live in an emergency accommodation for more than six months. The Minister needs to provide timeliness as to how he is going to meet his July target. How many families does he plan to move out of emergency accommodation this month and the month after?"

(CD/LM)