More Irish families have been evicted from their homes under this Government than during the equivalent period of the land war under Queen Victoria, Labour's environment spokesman, Mr Eamon Gilmore, claimed at the conference.
He said that after the richest five years in Ireland's history there were more homeless people on the streets and in bed and breakfasts than at any time since independence.
The number on council housing waiting lists had increased from 26,000 in 1996 to more than 60,000 currently.
Mr Gilmore promised legislation to give security of tenure to tenants and control rent increases.
Labour would also put a housing court in place to settle disputes between landlords and tenants.
Consumer legislation would be introduced to establish a housing market regulator to oversee standards. Put Labour in government, he said, and the 60,000 people on the council housing list will be provided with a home "because we are committed to a major social housing programme and will establish a National Housing Authority to ensure it is done".
Cllr Eric Byrne, a former TD and candidate in Dublin South Central, said they had the highest concentration of local-authority flats blocks in the country, whose tenants continued to experience real cuts in their income because the rent-free allowance had not been increased since 1994.
The party's candidate in Meath, Mr Peter Ward, criticised property developers who had built poor-quality housing.
"Up and down this country, property speculators have moved on to rush up the next estate, having pocketed the profits from the first without simply finishing the job," he claimed.