Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has warned there will be constraints in delivering the 67,000 potential homes on State-owned lands.
Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns said that it is "pathetic" that it has taken the Land Development Agency (LDA) five years to compile a report on the number of homes that could be built on land owned by the State.
The Report on Relevant Public Land, which was presented to Cabinet today identified 83 State-owned sites with the development potential for up to 67,000 affordable homes.
READ MORE - Labour leader Ivana Bacik calls for one million homes to be built in the next decade
It advised that up to 9,760 of the potential homes identified in the report could be delivered in the next five to 10 years, subject to the land involved being made available, due diligence and the planning process.
A further 17,440 homes are proposed on Class 2 sites, which are considered to have medium to long-term potential, while there are a further 39,710 on long-term, Class 3 sites, bringing the total potential number of homes to 66,910.
The sites are located in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Waterford, Sligo, Letterkenny, Dundalk, Drogheda and Athlone.
Sites listed in the report include Conyngham Road Bus Depot and Sandyford Mint in Dublin; the ESB Networks premises on Sarsfield Road in Cork, land at Galway Harbour and the North Docks Bus Depot in Waterford.
The report was brought up in the Dáil by both Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns and Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald.
Ms Cairns criticised the fact that the LDA has yet to deliver a single home on State land, despite being established in 2018.
She said: "Five years after the LDA's establishment, it has finally got around to conducting a review of property assets controlled by State companies.
"How in the middle of a housing disaster when the Government claims it is pulling out all the stops has it taken the LDA five years to complete a review of the State's property assets?
"It is like some kind of sick joke.
"The abject failure of the LDA to live up to the Taoiseach's promises is just the latest betrayal in housing. We were promised 150,000 homes within 20 years. At the current rate of delivery, there is not a hope of that target being met."
Mr Varadkar conceded that the LDA’s progress was "disappointing" and admitted that there will be constraints on what can be delivered.
The Taoiseach explained: "Approximately 66,000 more homes could be built on public land, but it is honest about the constraints.
"We should be honest with people about the constraints. Approximately 10,000 of those could be built in the next five to 10 years. The remainder will take longer. That is simply the reality of house-building in Ireland.
"600 people are already living in Cathal Brugha Barracks. It is an Army base. If we were to develop it for housing, which we may well do, those people and that base would have to be moved."
READ NEXT:
- Ireland weather: Storm fears grow as thunder and lightning chaos to strike within hours
- Grandfather of three tragic Tallaght blaze siblings tells inquest how he identified their bodies
- Bizarre scenes in court as Enoch Burke interrupts judge and accuses school of lying and 'tampering' with documents
- Dublin Airport confirms 15 major changes in brand new master plan to 'make journeys more pleasant'
- James McClean opens up on autism diagnosis after he noticed similarities with daughter
Get news updates direct to your inbox by signing up to our daily newsletter here
