The Central Bank is due to publish a review of its mortgage lending rules later today.

Regulations around how much banks can lend in relation to people’s income, and deposit levels were brought in at the beginning of last year.

In the cases for first time buyers, mortgages of up to 80% can only be taken out on properties worth over €220,000.

Sinn Fein’s Spokesperson on Housing Eoin O’Broin said that the Government needs to work on lowering the cost of housing.

“Irrespective of what the Central bank announces today, and I don’t expect them to announce much change to the current rules, really the Government’s focus needs to be on bringing the cost of housing down,” he said.

“There is no value in heaping additional debt on working families who are trying to get on the property ladder.

“What we need to do is make houses cheaper.”