Labour has called on the Government to roll out a national housing scheme with properties to rent as well as buy.

The party's housing spokesperson, Jan O'Sullivan TD, said comments by the Junior Finance Minister on the cost of accommodation across Dublin do not reflect the reality of the situation in the rental sector.

She said: "The implication that the rental crisis is a bigger issue for people on higher incomes looking to live in traditionally expensive areas, or that there are bargains to be got on the 'other side of the river', is completely out of touch with the reality of the rental crisis in the capital.

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"The minister mustn't have visited the property websites lately, as a quick search of what's on offer paints a different picture.

"I don't know what planet the Minister is living on if he thinks these are reasonable rents whether north or south side of the city, and any suggestion that this crisis is postcode specific or only concentrated at the 'high end' of the market is simply not the case.

"In total, Daft.ie says there are currently just 682 properties available to let on the southside of Dublin City, and 337 on the northside.

"It's disappointing that Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil voted against Labour Party legislation to cap rents in line the rate of inflation."

(CD/LM)