Sinn Féin's Housing Spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin TD has criticised the government's response to the ongoing housing crisis, accusing it of lacking urgency and failing to deliver meaningful solutions.

The comments come in response to the government's latest move, a four-week public consultation on exemptions to planning permission requirements.

The Dublin Mid-West TD condemned the approach as inadequate given the scale of the crisis, pointing to rising house prices, soaring rents, and increasing homelessness, along with missed social and affordable housing targets.

"The housing crisis is deepening by the day. House prices, rents and homelessness are rising with no let up in sight. Housing targets, including social and affordable targets, are being missed," said Teachta Ó Broin.

"An entire generation of young people are locked out of affordable housing and forced to live in their parent’s box bedroom or to emigrate.

"Our water infrastructure and electricity grid are in desperate need of investment. Our planning system is short hundreds of much needed planning positions. Tens of thousands of people are living in defective homes."

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Ó Broin criticised the government's housing strategy and said recent moves to review planning exemptions are a distraction from more urgent action.

"All of the indicators show that the government's housing plan is not working, and that we need a radical reset of housing policy.

"Faced with this ever-worsening housing emergency – what is the government's response? They have announced a 'review' into planning permission exemptions."

He pointed to the recently passed Planning and Development Act, which has yet to be enacted, and questioned the timing and impact of the new consultation.

"For two years the Oireachtas worked on what was meant to be a once in a generation review and reform of planning legislation. The controversial 'Planning and Development Act' became law last October. None of it has yet been enacted.

"The Minister for Housing has announced a four-week consultation on planning exemptions relating to attic conversions, extensions for older people, and freestanding residential extensions to existing homes. This will then lead to further Department scrutiny, and at best some minor changes to planning rules before the end of the year.

"While none of this is objectionable, it should have been done two years ago, during the so-called once in a generation reform of planning law. More importantly, it is not a solution to the housing and homelessness crisis.

"It is clear that the government is out of ideas. Tinkering around with planning exemption rules won’t tackle the growing need for affordable homes.

"Only a radical reset of housing policy, as set out by the Housing Commission and Sinn Féin’s alternative housing plan 'A Home Of Your Own', will deliver at scale the affordable homes that workers and families so desperately need."