Construction of local authority housing has reached a 20-year high, the Government has claimed, with nearly 10,000 social and affordable units built last year.
However, the total figure accounts for under 12 per cent of the 81,000 apartments and houses built in the country last year.
It follows the publication of figures which show that 6,500 social housing units were completed in 2005 and a further 2,800 affordable homes were also built.
Of the 6,500 social units, 5,100 were built or acquired by local authorities, an increase of 500 on 2004. The remainder were constructed by voluntary housing associations.
This is the highest figure since the 1970s, when some of the largest local authority housing estates in the country were built in Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway.
According to figures due for release today by the Department of the Environment, there was a fall in the number of houses built by voluntary housing associations, down by more than 15 per cent to just under 1,400.
Minister of State with responsibility for housing Noel Ahern defended the Government's record on social and affordable housing, saying there was a 7 per cent increase last year in the provision of housing for lower income families.
He said a further 8,500 local authority homes were under construction.
"When the units in progress by the voluntary and co-operative housing sector are taken into account, over 10,000 social homes are in progress and on this basis I look forward to a further increase in output of social housing in 2006."
He acknowledged that the rate of local authority home completions was still less than that during the 1970s, but said the previous high rate arose from low quality, large housing estate projects - an approach that had been dropped by councils in favour of smaller high quality projects.
He also claimed that the high rate of social housing construction was not as necessary as it was in the 1970s and 1980s.
"Equally, back 20 years ago we didn't have rent allowance," Mr Ahern said. "Now we have 60,000 families receiving rent allowance."
He said local authority housing waiting lists were now at 43,000, a 10 per cent drop on 2002. Of these, 40 per cent of those on the waiting list were single people.
However social bodies have previously said there is a need for a substantial increase in social housing.
Earlier this year, the Conference of Religious in Ireland Justice Commission called on the Government to provide up to 70,000 additional social housing units over and above the current output to meet the needs of low income families and people.
Of the 2,900 affordable homes completed last year, just 1,400 were provided by the "Part Five" scheme, which requires developers to set aside 20 per cent of large housing developments for private development.
However, because of a large backlog of planning approvals, coupled with a zoning loophole for some developments and a financial compensation alternative for developers, the predicted numbers have yet to materialise.
As of the end of last year, 2,566 "Part Five" houses were under construction, with a further 3,418 due to begin construction.
Mr Ahern said the Government estimated that 15,000 "Part Five" homes should be completed in the coming three years.