This week on The Last Word we decided to look at some of Ireland's worst rental properties.

We've all seen ads for cramped, overcrowded, mouldy properties - so has the rental crisis made the uninhabitable habitable?

Journalist Amy Molloy first moved to Dublin nine years ago for college and found accommodation in the north inner city. There was no CCTV and "the house was so cold that you could see your breath all the time."

Her problems didn't end there, as several years ago she lived in another house which had a slug infestation. She was told this was normal, and that it wasn't a sign that the house was dirty.

Jack is currently renting a house in Dublin which he is unhappy with: "The house next to us is dilapidated and no one seems to be doing anything about it."

As a result, he has experienced an infestation of mice and says, "We were plugging holes in the wall and floor with tin foil."

Councillor Eilis Ryan of the Workers Party says there are two sides to the problem.

"The regulations are very lax compared to other countries, and because of the absence of property the option to leave just isn't there, so what's your recourse if the landlord refuses to do these kinds of repairs?"

John-Mark McCafferty is Chief Executive of the national housing charity Threshold. He says many tenants are fearful of reporting problems to their landlords in case they are evicted.

"In the last six months we've seen almost 600 cases relating to standards and repairs. We're also seeing issues and situations relating to overcrowding, and individuals and families across the country who are very scared to approach their landlord because it's a landlord's market and rents are high."

To catch the full chat press the play button on the image on the top of the screen