Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has accused the coalition of being out of touch and out of ideas.
She was speaking as the government changes over and has seen Leo Varadkar appointed as Taoiseach again.
The Dáil voted for Mr Varadkar by a comfortable margin of 87 votes to 62, with one abstention.
A Cabinet re-shuffle took placewhich saw Micheál Martin as Tánaiste move to Foreign Affairs.
Deputy McDonald was one of those who opposed Mr Varadkar's election.
'We need a change'
Earlier she wished Mr Martin well, but said his government had been failing people.
"Fine Gael, and their friends in Fianna Fáil, have been in power for far too long," she told the Dáil.
"They are out of touch, out of ideas and out of time.
" Micheál Martin has resigned as Taoiseach and the government dissolved: we should now have a general election, because we need a change of government".
Micheál Martin with President Michael D Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin after resigning as Taoiseach. Picture via @merrionstreet on TwitterShe said Mr Varadkar's party has not dealt with the housing crisis, among others.
"Fine Gael and Leo Varadkar have been in government now for 11 years, Fine Gael and Leo Varadkar's policies are writ large across the crises in housing, healthcare and the deep economic inequalities in Ireland today," she said.
"It is no coincidence that during Fine Gael's time in power, people desperately struggle to put a roof over their heads," she added.
'Progressively worse'
Sinn Féin TD Louise O'Reilly has said the Cabinet re-shuffle would not bring the change the country needs.
She said the coalition's policies have led to longer waiting lists for healthcare and over 11,000 people homeless - 3,800 of whom are children.
"It's not so much that they didn't deal with [these issues], it's the fact that they got progressively worse on their watch," she told Newstalk.
According to Deputy O'Reilly, it is a change in government that is needed now.
"I don't think people want more of the same", she said.
"Shifting around the chairs, changing personalities, that is not going to deliver for people," she added.
