A minister has slammed Fianna Fáil moves to trigger a general election as “irresponsible” and “out of order”.

Leading Fianna Fáil TD Barry Cowen has said his decision to support repeal of the Eighth Amendment and access to abortion up to 12 weeks was “agonising and difficult”.

The Government has been urged to impose new bans on properties which are rented out on Airbnb for more than 90 days a year in a bid to stop “professional” landlords from taking advantage of the system.

Housing Minister Simon Coveney has rebuffed criticisms from Fianna Fáil’s Barry Cowen about the sharp rises in rent prices.

Fianna Fáil's Spokesperson on Housing Barry Cowen is calling for an independent review of the Help-to-Buy Scheme to be carried out.

Fianna Fáil is to seek emergency laws to help tackle the housing crisis in a belief that the Government’s plan to build new homes and tackle homelessness is failing, Juno McEnroe.

Fianna Fáil has said it will abstain from a vote on the new help-to-buy scheme which would offer a €20,000 tax rebate to first time buyers on newly- built homes.

Talks between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil on the facilitation of a minority Government will centre on water charges when they resume later.

Fianna Fáil environment spokesperson Barry Cowen has insisted his party will not enter Government with Fine Gael because it "cannot break the greatest promise we gave in the first week of the Dáil".

The Government failed to pay over a third of compensation claims sought by local authorities after the last storms.

New figures show the number of people on social housing lists nationwide is 45% higher than previously claimed.

Eurostat has released its reasons for deciding that Irish Water should be considered as part of the government's accounts.

The number of Freedom of Information requests lodged with the Department of Finance to date this year outstrips the entire number of requests made in 2014.

Water charges for families may cost double the average amount claimed by the Government and could leave households with an annual bill of almost €500 for basic consumption, according to Fianna Fáil.

Just 518 of the estimated 5,000 units identified by Nama as being suitable for social housing have been handed over to local authorities, despite a reported 90,000 applicants on council waiting lists.