Sinn Féin have hit back at comments by Taoiseach Leo Varadker claiming that Sinn Féin-led councils in Dublin are responsible for the slow pace of social and affordable housing delivery.

The party's housing spokesperson, Eoin Ó Broin, described the claims as "completely false", stating the Taoiseach is "either so out of touch that he doesn't know what is happening in the Dublin Councils or he is deliberately lying".

"In both South Dublin County Council and Dublin City Council where Sinn Féin is the largest party it is Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil Councillors who are trying to block council housing," he said.

"Earlier this year when Sinn Féin Councillors tabled amendments to the Clonburris Strategic Development Zone which would ensure all public land would be used to deliver up to 3,000 social and affordable houses Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil councillors voted against the amendment.

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"Thankfully, the progressive majority on the council ensured the motion was passed. Fine Gael went one step further and refused to support the final plan which would deliver 5,000 private houses in addition to the 3,000 public homes.

"Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael Councillors have also voted against social housing projects in Killinarden Tallaght, Cherrywood, Clondalkin and Scribblestown Finglas. In Dublin, Minister of State Catherine Byrne TD is leading the charge against the proposal for a fully public social and affordable housing development in St Michaels Estate, Inchicore."

Continuing, Deputy Ó Broin said even when Sinn Féin-led proposals such as with Shanganagh Castle in Shankill, Dún Laoghaire secures the support of all councillors, the Housing Minister won't publicly back the project and provide funding.

"The core problem in Dublin is that Fine Gael will not provide the Councils with sufficient funding to deliver large scale mixed income and mixed tenure developments providing social and affordable housing on public land with public money despite repeated calls from SinnFéin and others to do so," he said.

"They have imposed cumbersome, expensive and slow delivering public private partnerships and land initiative funding models rather than allowing Councils to borrow the funds directly from the Housing Finance Agency or European Investment Bank.

"Fine Gael are so desperate to deflect blame from their own failures, in Government and on Councils, that the Taoiseach is making statements that have no basis in fact and even a cursory glance at the record shows them to be false."

(LM)