Fr Peter McVerry has claimed Ireland is a "disaster zone" when it comes to housing and health.
The homelessness campaigner appeared on today's Hard Shoulder to discuss whether Ireland is headed in the right or direction.
Fr McVerry suggested there are three things that are most important to people - their job, their house and their health.
He argued: "I think in employment... yes, we have done well. The employment rate is up, and the unemployment rate is down.
"Before I get carried away I would like to know how many of those new jobs were involuntarily part-time or were [low paid].
"Basically speaking, yes in employment we have gone in the right direction - but in the other two issues we are a disaster zone."
He explained: "In terms of housing... in the 60s and 70s most people were able to get a foot on the housing ladder, whether it was either a corporation house they bought or a mortgage. Today most people are worried whether they can keep their home or not.
"The same with health: in the 60s and 70s, you could walk in with a hospital and you'd be out in a couple of hours with a cast for your broken leg. Now you're there for 12 to 16 hours before you're even seen.
"I think in terms of housing and health we have gone backwards very, very rapidly and very, very seriously."
Meanwhile, Cormac Lucey - economics columnist with The Sunday Times - offered a counterpoint to Fr McVerry's view.
He claimed: "If you were in outer space and you had a choice as to where and when in the entire course of human history you were going to be born... being born in Ireland right now should logically be pretty close to the top of the list.
"Our living standards have never been higher... contrary to all the negative headlines about the health services, people who are actually treated by the health service once they get into the system report high standards."
