Hope

The figures include units delivered through rapid build, traditional construction, turnkey and regeneration.

The Taoiseach and Mr Murphy are using other amalgamated figures that present a sunnier outlook.

A spokesman for the Housing Minister defended the department’s progress on housing saying it “does things differently now” compared to the past.

They added: “Previously Local Authorities built the majority of social houses, however, we now fund this work through various streams including building, Part V, regeneration and turnkey.

“It is very simplistic and misleading to just focus on one delivery method when all of the programmes deliver new social housing units and meet the needs of families on the social housing waiting lists.

“Rebuilding Ireland is a multi-faceted programme which provides for the delivery of 50,000 social housing homes through the various programmes over the period 2016 to 2021, alongside an accelerated roll-out of the Housing Assistance Payment Scheme.

“This activity is supported through a significantly increased investment programme of €6billion. “Rebuilding Ireland is just over two years in existence and the build programme has increased from 657 homes in 2016, 2,297 last year to an expected delivery of 4,000 homes this year.

“The social housing build programme is delivered by both Local Authorities and Approved Housing Bodies.

“Those families who are provided with new social housing are not concerned with who provides their home.”

Number of homes to be delivered through the Rebuilding Ireland project