There is no short term solution to the housing crisis and we won't see the needed level of houses built until 2019 at the earliest.

That's according to housing organisation Respond, which is calling for a dedicated cabinet minister for housing in the next government.

CEO Ned Brennan say the present situation is "a crisis the state has never experienced before." Previous housing crises have largely affected those depending on the state, but sections of society are now affected, he says.

Respond also believe developers are not being attracted back to the market because houses are too expensive to build, and interest rates on loans are too high.

Brennan believes there is also a drain of talent in the construction sector: