There has been calls for emergency legislation to stop tenants being evicted from homes if they are paying their rent in full.

The call has come from a Fine Gael TD, who has said landlords are abusing the property market to sell properties – and leave tenants homeless.

Fergus O’Dowd was speaking at a hearing of the Dáil’s committee on housing and homelessness.

Landlords are currently allowed to break a lease and evict tenants if they’re selling the property – something Deputy O’Dowd says must change: “We cannot accept that families are being put out on the streets of our cities and our towns, by callous and cowardly landlords who are abusing a situation.

“They are exploiting the market, they are looking for people who will pay more and they are creating absolutely appalling conditions for families and I feel very strongly about this.”