A lack of sites for development is the biggest barrier to the construction of social housing, according to the Irish Council for Social Housing.
The body is calling for an inventory of sites owned by public bodies.
They also want to see a land supply programme to provide sites from government organisations like Nama.
They have identified 800 publicly owned sites which they say are suitable for social housing.
The ICSH is also calling for a central hub within the Department of the Environment to help housing organisations to co-ordinate their work to tackle the housing crisis.