Fianna Fail has hit out at the Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy for failing to know how many homes were built in Ireland last year.

TD Barry Cowen also slammed the Government after it was revealed only 5,000 social homes were developed in Ireland last year.

He said: "The capital budget allocation for social housing is still 24% below 2008 levels when the social housing waiting list was substantially smaller.

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"The NPF and NDP envisage one million more people living in this county and over 500,000 new homes. However it is difficult to take Fine Gael's commitments on housing seriously considering their abysmal record of delivery to date. They have presided over an unprecedented housing crisis which has resulted in spiralling rents, a massive increase in homelessness and home ownership being put out of reach of ordinary people.

"Fine Gael have launched at least four housing policies which is more than the amount of new social homes that they have built in some counties last year. There is an abysmal record of delivery compared to what was been promised. The new plans are a mix of re-heated promises by a Government that has continually under delivered."

(CD/LM)