The housing crisis and urban deprivation were among the priorities identified by participants in the first working session of the new National Economic and Social Forum.
But there was disagreement about how the forum should examine issues, particularly between representatives of the voluntary and community sectors, on one side, and senior civil servants on the other.
The general secretary of the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed, Mr Mike Allen, said a key issue to be decided was the role of senior civil servants in the forum.
The secretaries-general of five Government Departments have been appointed to the forum.
These are Mr Paddy Mullarkey of the Department of Finance, Mr Paul Haran of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mr Edmond Sullivan of Social, Community and Family Affairs, Ms Margaret Hayes of Tourism, Sport and Recreation, and Mr Jim Farrelly of Environment and Local Government.
Father Sean Healy of the Conference of Religious of Ireland said civil servants had been very negative in the past about issues, when consulted by the NESF.
They had a different role from other members, because they were constricted in what they said by their respective Ministers.
Later, when the forum was discussing policy priorities and Mr Allen suggested it look at the reasons control of the Local Employment Services "has been flunked for four years", Mr Sullivan suggested the forum should be examining new problems "rather than looking back at things that didn't work".
In a later discussion on social housing and local government, Mr Farrelly said some issues were already covered in a local government Bill, which is at drafting stage. "It may be a little bit late to stop the clock."