An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy have come under serious criticism after reports emerged the government spent €1.2 billion on buying privately built homes in the midst of the housing crisis.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has called for radical action to be taken to solve the crisis.

She said: "This government thinks nothing of handing over billions to a private company for broadband in a deal that lacks any clarity over capacity to deliver. We see cost over runs of hundreds of millions in capital projects and yet this government refuse to invest in building homes at the scale required.

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"It is time for the government to get off the side off the pitch and understand that the State has to intervene - piecemeal interventions won't do it.

"There are answers and Sinn Féin has presented them time and again. Radical action must be taken; we need to double the number of social and affordable homes being built, we need a rent freeze, and we need to stop the vultures by progressing the No Consent, No Sale Bill."

(CM/MH)