Only one property was available to rent in Limerick City within the Housing Assisted Payment (HAP) Rent Supplement, a new study has revealed.

Sinn Fein said the report by the Simon Community has revealed the major gap that has developed between the levels of Rent Supplement.

TD for Limerick Maurice Quinlivan said it is becoming "near impossible" for families to get housing.

He said: "There were no properties available for a single person, couple, or couple with two children within the Rent Supplement or HAP limits.

"Nationally, the report found that 91% of rental properties are unavailable to those in receipt of Rent Supplement/HAP.

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"The housing shortage in Limerick is also highlighted in this report. Over the three days of the study, only eleven houses were available to rent in Limerick City Centre, down from thirty-five available at the same time last year.

"The housing crisis is worsening and the state supports currently in place to help people struggling to pay for housing are being exceeded by skyrocketing rents.

"The fact that Limerick City is not designated a Rent Pressure Zone baffles me, as this measure would ease the ever increasing cost of rent, and limit it to a maximum 4% per annum. This measure should be brought in immediately to stabilise the cost of housing for potential renters, and give certainty to those in already in rented accommodation.

"Working families are increasing becoming homelessness because they often earn too much to apply for social housing support or too little to either rent privately or buy their own home. In many cases middle income working families cannot afford to save to buy a home."

(CD/LM)