The government has come under fire over new figures surrounding its Repair and Leasing Scheme (RLS).

It was revealed only 18 homes have been delivered and tenanted in Dublin since the scheme was rolled out in February, while 81 applications were made.

Speaking out following the news, local Fianna Fáil TD John Curran condemned the scheme for failing to address the housing and homelessness crisis.

Deputy Curran said: "The RLS is yet another failed attempt by the Government to deliver the level of new social housing homes it had promised much like many of the schemes under the Rebuilding Ireland programme.

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"The Repair and Leasing Scheme (RLS) was developed to assist private property owners and local authorities or Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) to harness the accommodation potential that exists in certain vacant dwellings across Ireland.

"In the most recent reply to my Parliamentary Question the Minister for Housing indicated that figures up to Q4 in 2018 show that 1,260 applications have been received nationally with 132 lease agreements but only 89 properties are operational through the Repair and Lease scheme across the country."

Mr Curran has now called for a complete overhaul of the scheme to address issues affecting property owners in Dublin.

(CM/MH)