Amidst the Irish housing crisis, could there be an alternative solution aside from the 40,000 promised annual new builds?

The Hardware Association of Ireland (HAI) believes vacant properties and above-the-shop units could provide an answer.

Right now there are 20,000 above-the-shop properties ready for use which have the potential to house families.

Chief executive of the HAI Martin Markey told The Pat Kenny Show that there is a "huge opportunity to rejuvenate empty properties and above-the-shop units around the country".

"Between empty homes, as in single houses, and above-the-shop property units, there's about 40,000 units available to us," he said.

"At the moment, the vacant homes grant and the appetite for that is huge.

"We think it's going to about 20,000 [applications], it's at about 11,000 at the moment.

"We would say we will see similar in terms of above-the-shop properties."

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Main image: A housing estate under construction. Image: David Creedon / Alamy