The rent prices in Co Louth have risen by 13.5% in the last year according to figures released by daft.ie.

The largest increase was in one-bed apartments, which rose by 15.6%.

The figures also show that Louth has had the highest rent increases in Ireland for the second year in a row.

Sinn Féin TD for Louth Imelda Munster hit out at the government in response to the figures.

"The government is making an absolute mess of this. They are seven years in power and the problem is only getting worse," she said. "The government's indifference and lack of action is causing financial misery and uncertainty and it is compounding the homeless and housing crisis even further in Louth."

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Mrs Munster also called out the government for the recent reports of a misreported homelessness list.

She continued: "The Minister for Housing's response to the crisis in Louth is to hide 100 people from the homelessness list. It is pathetic.

"These figures show, yet again, that the government's response is not working. Drogheda has been designated as a rent pressure zone for the past eight months, yet the county still has the biggest increase in private rental costs in the State.

"The lack of a proper social and affordable housing programme is compounding this crisis, and as long as this remains the case, rents will continue to soar."

(CM/MH)