The Labour Party said it is a "disgrace" that the Housing Minister has not produced a vacant homes strategy.

Spokesperson on Housing and Children and Youth Affairs, Jan O'Sullivan TD, hit out at Minister Simon Coveney after over 10 homeless families were sent to Garda stations because there was no accommodation for them.

She said: "I have been saying for some time that a quick and easy way to deal with this is by making use of the near 200,000 properties that are lying vacant across the country.

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"Broken down, this amounts to around 27 empty homes for every person in emergency accommodation.

"I have also been calling for the Government should bring forward the Vacant Site levy by one year to tackle this crucial issue of supply. On top of that there has to be a tax on homes left vacant for years while people sleep in parks or on the streets.

"While there has been much goodwill towards the Minister for Housing's 'Rebuilding Ireland Plan', it's becoming more evident that it is not delivering the homes that are so urgently needed."

(CD/MH)