Councillors to hold sleep-out protest over 'housing crisis' in Meath

Sinn Féin county councillors in Meath will hold a 24-hour sleep-out and fast to highlight the housing crisis in the county.

It comes just days before a Sinn Féin motion calling for a State house-building programme will be put forward at the next meeting of Meath County Council.

Eight public representatives will take part in the 'Build Homes' initiative which gets underway from 6pm this evening at the Navan Shopping Centre.

Sinn Féin Councillor Darren O'Rourke, said: "It is a commuter county, the example of rent allowance rates are Meath rates, but rent is at Dublin rates, and that affects a huge proportion of people particularly in the south of the county.

"That has a huge impact on families as they try to find suitable accommodation."