Fianna Fáil has come under serious fire over its housing policy following a recent meeting of the Oireachtas Housing Committee.

A Fine Gael representative has hit out at the party over its failure to act on its criticism of the government's housing plan.

Louth TD Fergus O'Dowd said: "Despite endlessly criticising the Government's housing plan – a plan that is delivering thousands of homes each year, has identified a path to addressing the current housing situation, and most importantly, correcting the market so we do not see a repeat of the mistakes of the past – Fianna Fáil have yet to offer any alternatives. They provide no plans or solutions.

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"Instead, as we have seen across a number of issues, Fianna Fáil opt instead to bluster about producing policies, or throw out half baked ideas that don't stand up to even the faintest hint of scrutiny.

"It is now more than 600 days since FF promised to publish a housing policy. In the time that we have been waiting we have delivered thousands of homes, and have taken significant action to increase supply."

He continued: "In politics it is easy to identify an issue and think that your job is done – in Fine Gael we know that that is only the first step: what is required is well thought out plans and follow through.

"For FF it seems this lesson has still not sunk in: despite being given a chance in opposition to reconsider what they can bring to the table they have reverted to type and are a party devoid of policies, plans and solutions.

"Can FF please let us know if work has even begun on their housing policy or are we to expect a series of more ill-thought out ideas in the place of any policy?"

(CM/JG)