Sinn Féin has slammed the government for failing to tackle the homeless crisis in Ireland.

The party's housing spokesperson, Eoin Ó Broin TD, hit out after a homeless woman died in Cork on Wednesday, 06 December.

Mr Ó Broin offered his condolences to the family of the woman, who is the eighth person who has died while sleeping rough in Dublin, Drogheda, Cork, and Bray over the past 13 weeks.

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He said: "We do not wish to politicise this latest untimely death. Unfortunately however, it is a political issue.

"The current government approach to tackling homelessness is not working. It has yet to explain why only 600 of the 1,800 turnkey properties offered for sale to Government are being purchased?

"These are properties that are ready to move in to and the government is reluctant to acquire them, despite funding not being an issue.

"I raised this issue directly with Minister Eoghan Murphy in Committee yesterday and with Minister Damian English during a Dáil debate on homelessness last week.

"More of these units could have been bought to get homeless families and individuals out of emergency accommodation and into permanent secure homes, which is current government policy."

(CD/JP)