The Government is expected to introduce plans to reform the rights of tenants in rented accommodation in the next Dáil session, which begins tomorrow.
The legislative programme to be agreed at an all-day Cabinet meeting today is understood to include a Residential Tenancy Bill.
This will increase the rights of tenants, deemed out of date and inadequate in the context of the modern rental market.
Although the details to the Bill are unclear, political sources said the legislation would introduce the most significant change in property rights for decades.
A special Cabinet meeting at Farmleigh will discuss the economy primarily, but no immediate initiative to address falling competitiveness is likely.
It takes place against the backdrop of figures which show that job losses have reached the highest level in 15 years.
Ministers are expected to discuss means of reducing inflation.
They will be briefed on the global and domestic economic situation by the Department of Finance. While the briefing is likely to take account of short and medium-range forecasts, it is not expected to address budgetary strategy.
Ministers will also be briefed on major infrastructure projects, including plans by the Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, to give the State power to claim ownership of land underneath private property. With the uncertainty over the military campaign in Iraq now over, it is thought that the Government will be told that the international economy could recover within a year.
Sources said the objective of the meeting was to discuss strategies to improve competitiveness to enable the Government to take advantage of the economic upswing, whenever that emerged.
The Government is also expected to address easing pressure on prices through the introduction of greater competition.
It is also understood that planned legislation does not include a Bill to establish an independent Garda complaints system.
In addition to the residential tenancy Bill, the programme is understood to include a Bill guaranteeing the education rights of special needs children and establishing the National Council for Special Education.
It also includes three employment-related Bills. These will improve redundancy provisions, provide greater protection for workers on contracts and modify the employment permits system.
