The Housing Minister has been slammed for having "no credible plans" for affordable housing in Ireland.

Sinn Fein's housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin TD said Minister Eoghan Murphy's proposals will not solve the housing crisis.

The party has outlined a number of solutions both in the motion up for debate tonight, 30 January, and in its Alternative Budget for 2018.

Deputy Ó Broin said: "Under current government proposals, not one affordable home will be delivered this year.

-- Advertisement --

"The Minister of Housing maintains that the private sector will deliver affordable homes via the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) but we have yet to see how this will materialise.

"The only way to ensure that affordable homes are delivered is to immediately introduce ambitious affordable rental and purchase housing schemes, led by Local Authorities, and where appropriate, Approved Housing Bodies and Housing Co-operatives.

"The government must aim to deliver 4,500 affordable homes for rental and purchase in year one and double that figure in year two on public land.

"They can afford to this. The funding could be available from the Housing Finance Agency, the strategic investment fund and from Home Building Finance Ireland. They are just choosing not to invest money in public housing. Affordable homes are not a priority for this government."

(CD/LM)