The Taoiseach has signalled a major intervention into house developing by re-purposing NAMA.

Leo Varadkar says the State may need to step in where private companies have failed and develop land for itself.

He made the comments at the Fine Gael pre-Dáil think-in in Tipperary.

"There'll be future announcements about changes to planning regulations, so we can make it more affordable to build apartments in our towns and cities, and more affordable for people to buy them.

"And also we're examining the possibility of re-purposing NAMA to develop lands on behalf of the State - to step in where the private sector has failed".