Plans for a new category of affordable housing being examined by Minister of State for Housing Noel Ahern are "woefully inadequate",the Labour Party says.
Labour's environment spokesman, Eamon Gilmore, said: "People in need of housing can have no confidence in this type of 11th-hour pronouncement from what is a dying Government.
Labour Environment spokesman Eamon Gilmore
"Labour believes that it is fundamentally unfair that working people cannot afford to buy a home for their family, while at the same time, well-heeled investors can buy several," he added.
However, in today's Irish TimesMr Ahern said he is drawing up plans for new "super affordable" housing aimed at individuals earning about €25,000 a year.
He said funding for such an initiative could come from money handed over to local authorities by developers in lieu of providing social and affordable housing.
The Government forecasts that some 17,000 affordable units will be delivered between 2007 and 2009.