Housing problems affected rural Ireland as well as urban areas, the Dáil was told.
Sinn Féin agriculture spokesman Martin Ferris said the media would have people believe that the wait for housing was to be found only in towns and cities.
"In some ways, although the figures might be smaller, in rural areas the damage inflicted by waiting lists, and people being forced out of their communities in search of housing, are even more damaging. The numbers might be smaller, but so are the communities themselves."
Mr Ferris was speaking during the resumed debate on a Sinn Féin Private Members' Bill requiring developers to provide 20 per cent of social and affordable housing and removing the option of developers making a financial contribution instead.
Mr Ferris said agricultural and fishing communities had been under sustained attack by the Government's policies.
"Over the summer, the Government abolished the sugar beet industry in this State. Today they announced the destruction of the drift-net salmon fishing industry. Rural and coastal communities, long abandoned by this Government in its fanatical determination to ensure all investment is based around Dublin and its suburbs, now find their existing industries under attack."
Mr Ferris said housing was another example of where rural communities were left knocking on the door of the Dublin political establishment. "Despite the growth that has taken place in house-building in the past number of years, rural communities are a section of society which have not reaped the benefits.
"Poverty and exclusion, unemployment and inadequate income, are suffered by people in rural and urban areas. But they tend to manifest themselves differently in rural communities. This is because of different social factors such as depopulation, poor transport and limited access to other essential services and facilities."
Charlie O'Connor (FF, Dublin South West) said any debate on housing should include a reference to homelessness.
"It is important that those of us privileged to represent our constituencies should take an interest in homelessness. As regards my constituency, I believe we should not be sending our problems into Dublin city and every effort must be made to facilitate homeless people in their own environment."
Mr O'Connor said he was a strong believer in the tenant purchase scheme.
