Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy has described a no confidence motion against him from Sinn Féin as "a stunt".

They party is bringing the motion in response to Mr Murphy's handling of the housing crisis.

The minister is expected to survive the motion - with the backing of the Government and Fianna Fáil likely to abstain.

Micheál Martin has said his party will not support the Sinn Féin motion.

However some of Minister Murphy's cabinet colleagues are frustrated at the lack of delivery when it comes to housing.

Junior Minister Catherine Byrne has hinted behind the scenes that she may vote against the Government or abstain from the vote.

Minister Byrne has been at odds with Minister Murphy since publicly speaking out against a project he launched in her constituency.

Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast, Minister Murphy said: "I really think that we should need to be careful here not to be drawn into Sinn Féin's stunt - and that's what this is - this motion is a stunt.

"They know it can't be passed, and they've also offered no solutions, no alternatives to the current plans in their motion tonight - because they have no policies , because they have no alternatives.

"They've been trying to personalise this issue around myself and around the Government".

"But for people who are in emergency accommodation, waking up in hotels this morning, or young couples who are struggling to afford to buy a home or even to pay their rent... this motion that they're bringing tonight won't do anything for them.

"And I think people need to recognise what Sinn Féin are doing where: they're playing populist politics, they're a protest party and they're not acting responsibly when it comes to this crisis".

"It is being fixed"

On his party colleague Catherine Byrne, Mr Murphy said: "Well I do hope that Catherine isn't pulled in by this Sinn Féin stunt, and I do hope she won't vote with Sinn Féin - and that she will vote with Fine Gael and with her Government.

"Catherine's an excellent representative for her area.

"We have very important plans for more affordable homes in her area - she has concerns around those plans - I don't believe she'll be pulled in by this Sinn Féin stunt".

"I have to get this job done in terms of seeing our plans through - it was never going to be possible in two years.

"And Sinn Féin are wrong to try and give the impression to the public that a problem of this magnitude could be fixed so quickly - but it is being fixed".

The Dáil will debate the motion at 8.00pm.

Sinn Féin's housing spokesperson Eoin O'Broin has said Government policy needs a total re-think.

"We feel the time is right, there is growing anger as is evident by the numbers of people mobilising in the streets in Dublin last weekend - and a very significant crowd of people that expect to attend the Irish Congress of Trade Unions rally in front of the Dáil on October 3rd.

"So I think there's a broad sense out there that Eoghan Murphy isn't up for the job, that his policy is failing and we need to see change.

"And we feel this motion is the best way to force that change on Government".

Additional reporting: Jack Quann