The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has called for an urgent expansion in the local authority house building programme.

Labour spokesperson on Housing, Jan O'Sullivan TD, supported the call and said the Government needs to accelerate plans by local authorities to deliver a social housing building programme that would provide thousands more homes per year.

She said: "The delivery of 50,000 units over five years would go some way to addressing the worsening homelessness crisis, and alleviate pressures in the private rental market that have brought rents to record levels.

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"It is clear that the housing emergency now requires much stronger State intervention to address the ongoing failure of private developers to build housing. The crisis is now causing huge stress for young couples, individuals and families across Ireland and will feed into increased wage demands as rents and house prices continue to rise.

"There are simply not enough homes being built, and measures are needed in the Budget to ensure the Vacant Site Levy has an impact on land hoarding by reducing the ability of owners to avoid it."

(CD/LM)