The Dáil is being asked to approve a plan to invest €1bn in public housing.

Sinn Féin wants to give the State's Strategic Investment Fund to local councils to build new houses.

The plan will be discussed tonight and put to a vote tomorrow night.

Sinn Féin's Dessie Ellis says it's the best way to solve the chronic shortage of housing.

He says there is a billion euro available that could be utilised to relieve the housing crisis:

At the weekend, IMPACT held a meeting in Dublin to address the housing crisis and homelessness. 

Organisers of that event say that a reduction of property tax would have a knock-on negative effect on the crisis and argue that by reducing taxes, budgets available at local government level would also be reduced.

Tánaiste Joan Burton and campaigner Father Peter McVerry were among the key speakers that attended the meeting. Reports indicated that the Tánaiste was heckled when discussing the rent supplement during a questions and answers session.