Tánaiste Simon Coveney has rejected a call from the Social Democrats for an emergency rent freeze in the private rental market.

He was responding to Social Democrat TD Róisín Shortall who said rents nationally were now "27% above the boom time peak".

Mr Coveney said a rent freeze would not work, because the core of the problem was a lack of supply.

He added that rent caps are already in place, following a long consultation process.

Ms Shortall said a grass roots campaign was now emerging with people saying "enough is enough" on the Government's failure to deliver on housing.