Minister for the Environment Dick Roche has agreed to a Fine Gael proposal to consider the plight of middle-aged separated men seeking housing.
Fergus O'Dowd of Fine Gael called for a significant effort by the Government on the issue.
"I refer in particular to males in their 50s who have left the family home," he said. "Many of them are in poor or declining health and are living in very poor circumstances, with no possibility of ever getting a home from their local authority."
Mr Roche said: "I agree with the deputy in that regard. He made a very good point. We should consider the issue at a meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Environment and Local Government."
Mr O'Dowd, speaking at the Dáil during a debate on housing, said that in the former North Eastern Health Board area, people entering nursing homes did not have the income to pay the fees and, as a consequence of this they were forced to sell homes in which another family member was living.
He also warned that people were now obtaining mortgages they would never be able to pay back. "They are borrowing in a climate in which interest rates are about to increase."
Labour's environment spokesman, Eamon Gilmore, said his party had argued for the past eight years that the Government's housing policies, if they could be described as such, should be changed.
Since the Government took over in 1997, and after a period of unprecedented economic growth and revenues, several questions had to be asked, he said.
Why were twice as many people homeless? Why was there double the number of applicants on local authority waiting lists? Why had more Irish families lost their homes through eviction under the Government than under the British during the land war in the 19th century?
Green Party TD Ciarán Cuffe said more holiday homes were being built than social and affordable homes.
"It is a fact that in times of poverty, the State, through its local authorities, built thousands of homes for people on lower incomes. It is a fact that there is no control on rental levels in the private sector."
Arthur Morgan of Sinn Féin said the Government had done nothing in nine years to tackle the housing crisis and was in denial about it.
"Waiting lists have continued to increase, house prices have gone through the roof, local authorities are trying to get out of their responsibility in social housing provision, while landlords continue to flout registration requirements."
Mr Roche said 77,000 new home units were brought on stream last year.
"This has been a major boost to a series of industries besides building and construction. It has certainly given a boost to the furniture industry and the furnishing business."
