The party's spokesperson on Housing, Eoin Ó Broin TD, made the comments as Sinn Féin published their detailed alternative budget document and the text of a Private Members Motion on the housing budget that was debated in the Dáil last night, 7 November.
Mr Ó Broin said that within this year's Sinn Féin's alternative budget there is a section on the Government's failure to date and "why Budget 2024 was a missed opportunity to tackle the ever-deepening housing and homelessness crises.".
In a statement, Teachta Ó Broin said: "Fine Gael have been in Government for 12 years, and Fianna Fáil have been propping them up for seven. During all of that time, the housing crisis has gone from bad to worse.
"Both parties have been in a formal coalition for three and a half years. During that time, house prices have increased by 28%, costing the average buyer €70,000 more. New rents have gone up 25%, costing almost €4000 more per year.
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"Adult, child and pensioner homelessness are all at record highs, with no sign of the upward trend changing any time soon.
"Meanwhile, year after year, the Government is failing to deliver on their already inadequate social and affordable housing targets.
"The focus of our alternative budget is delivering affordable homes. We made provision for an additional €1.4bn of Government capital expenditure and €300m Approved Housing Body borrowing to deliver 21,000 social, affordable-rental and affordable-purchase homes next year.
"Our document also sets out how we believe a Sinn Féin Government would deliver this ambitious target in a single year, by increasing investment, cutting red tape, using more vacant and derelict homes and new building technologies, and redirecting building workers to where they are needed most, the delivery of affordable homes.
"We have also set out an emergency response to the escalating homelessness crisis with a specific measure to end homelessness for the over-55s in a single year and dramatically reduce children homelessness through the delivery of 1000 additional social homes using emergency planning and procurement powers and new building technologies. We would also double the delivery of housing first tenancies for single people in emergency accommodation to 500.
"Once again Sinn Féin's alternative budget stands up for renters outlining what a real renter’s tax relief looks like alongside a three-year ban on rent increases.
"Our alternative budget also sets out how to improve the quality of our existing housing stock, how to address the housing needs of Travellers and people with disabilities, how to rise to the challenge of climate change, how to deliver 100% redress to all those impacted by building defects and defective block, and how to properly resource our planning system.
"Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have had all the time they needed to tackle the housing crisis. They have failed. It is time for a change of Government and a change of housing plan so that finally we can start to undo the damage of decades of bad Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael housing policy."
