The Government has allocated €100m to provide more than 800 social houses over the next two years.
However, the number of people on housing waiting lists has soared by 80% in the past four years to around 100,000 applicants.
Of the 808 new houses, 101 will be built in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown while just three will be constructed in Leitrim.
They will largely be used to accommodate homeless and elderly people as well as people with disabilities.