The Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey, said the Government would introduce a constitutional amendment if necessary to push through its plan to have all new developments include a certain percentage of "affordable" or social housing.
He said the details of the Bill would not be made known until it was published in the middle of August, but he believed that "the people of the country would back the Government in their efforts to provide affordable housing for everybody".
Mr Dempsey said there was "a very strong social need" for such measures, particularly to help first-time buyers. "People in some parts of the country who are on salaries are expected to provide their own homes, but at the moment they are not able to do that," he said.
The new legislation would provide for a certain percentage of social housing and affordable housing in all new developments.
Mr Dempsey said he was aware of suggestions that such a measure would face a constitutional challenge. "If it is necessary we will go the route of a constitutional amendment, but I believe this Bill is constitutional and the provisions in it will help people to provide affordable housing."