Tánaiste Micheál Martin has defended the Government's record on housing, saying his party has made a 'big difference'.
He was speaking ahead of Fianna Fáil's 81st Ard Fheis in Dublin today.
It follows suggestions by former politician Ivan Yates that voters under-40 have abandoned Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael because of a lack of housing.
Mr Martin told The Anton Savage Show he disputes his take on housing.
"The bottom line is Fianna Fáil are in Government for the last three years now and we've made a big difference on housing," he said.
"It's not enough, we've got to do more.
"Over 30,000 houses were constructed last year, COVID did hit us with the two lockdown, but the momentum is really there now in terms of house construction.
"In terms of social housing, we are building more social houses and delivering more social houses now than we did for decades as a country.
"The last three years has shown a distinctive change in respect of social housing alone."
'30,000 delivered in three years'
Mr Martin said 22,000 houses are now either on-site or at the design or planning stage.
"That's on top of the 30,000 we've delivered already in three years.
"Significant increased housing has been made available, the schemes in and around affordability in particular, the expanded Help-to-Buy Scheme, the First Homes scheme is proving very popular.
"The Vacant Housing and Derelict Schemes, we have grants now up to 50,000 for a vacant and 70,000 for a derelict [house] to refurbish them and to live in them.
"They're very popular and people are applying."
Israel 'broke international humanitarian law'
On the conflict in Gaza, the Foreign Affairs Minister said he believes Israel has broken international humanitarian law.
Mr Martin was speaking as the Israeli military defended an aircraft strike on an ambulance in Gaza on Friday, claiming it was being used by a 'Hamas terror cell'.
The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza said at least 15 people were killed and 60 wounded while trying to flee.
The director-general of the World Health Organisation, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, expressed his shock at the attack, reitering: "Patients, health workers, facilities, and ambulances must be protected at all times".
An ambulance hit by an Israel airstrike outside the gate of Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza on 3-11-23. Image: MSFMr Martin told the show Israel needs to be held to account.
"I'm shocked at the level of violence now that's happening within Gaza," he said.
"Israel has an obligation to adhere to international humanitarian law.
"Proportionality and necessity are key principles of international humanitarian law, and in my view they were not applied in this situation.
"I'm very clear on my view that the campaign that is underway is disproportionate without question and too many civilians are losing their lives.
"Israel has a right to go after Hamas, of that there is no question, but there cannot be a collective attack or punishment of Gazans generally.
"It's not proportionate and it is not, in my view, in accordance with international humanitarian law.
"There does ultimately have to be accountability here and I think the International Criminal Court is the body that really can investigate, and has said already it has jurisdiction in the Middle East," he added.
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