Labour dismisses affordable housing move as 'PR stunt'

The Labour Party has dismissed the Government's latest affordable housing announcement as a public-relations stunt.

Environment Minister Dick Roche announced today that a deal had been reached with developers that would see 89 houses and apartments being built in west Dublin.

The agreement is part of a scheme whereby the Government swaps prime land in Dublin city centre for affordable homes in the suburbs.

Mr Roche says further deals are also in the pipeline which could see thousands of homes sold at below their market value.

However, Labour Party TD Eamon Gilmore said today that the Government had already failed miserably in the provision of social housing.

He said many promises had been made in this area in recent years, but all of them had already been broken by the Fianna Fail-Progressive Democrats coalition.