Sinn Fein has slammed the government once again for failing to address the housing crisis in Ireland.

The party's President Gerry Adams described the slight decline in homeless figures as "deeply alarming" and urged the government to do more.

He was commenting on the December 2017 figures from the Department of Housing Planning and Local Government.

Mr Adams said: "There has been the very slight drop of three adults in the numbers registered as homeless in the North East between November and December. The numbers dropped from 148 to 145. The number of homeless in Louth is 139. This is evidence of an ineffectual response by the government to the problem of homelessness.

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"The December figures should also be set against the December figures of 2016. One year ago, there were 116 citizens registered as homeless in the North East, 111 of these in Louth. In December 2016, there were 18 families registered as homeless. Last month, that figure as 33. In December 2016, 36 dependents (children) were registered as homeless. Last month, that number was 85.

"Clearly, the trend in terms of homelessness continues to be upward. The government needs to do more. For example, landlords issuing vacant possession notices to quit when selling their property are the single biggest driver of family homelessness. The Government must end its opposition to tabling legislation to deal with this issue.

"The government must also adopt far more ambitious Housing First targets. Under Rebuilding Ireland, only 200 additional Housing First tenancies have been created. Minister Murphy should make a commitment to increase the number to 1,000."

(CD/LM)