He made the comments this morning at the launch of a new affordable housing development in Carrigaline.
Brookhill estate on the Ballea Road consists of 69 A-rated turn-key homes.
The project was undertaken by Co-operative Housing Ireland who say they are on track to deliver over 400 homes this year despite the problems caused by the pandemic.
Speaking to RedFM News Taoiseach Micheál Martin says the Government are focussing on increasing output:
"Well I think, we've allocated substantial funding, the issue is capacity, and capacity to deliver that's why we kept construction open during level five and during the second wave of the pandemic. Because we simply have to get output up. During 2020 construction output took a hit because of COVID and because of the first lockdown. It's going to be very difficult to to get to 18,000 units companies in 2020, that is not enough. We have to do far more. We're targeting 25,000 units next year, with additional emphasis and focus on affordable housing."
70,000 people across the country are on the housing waiting list.
Frank White was one of them. His family are one the newest residents in the new Carrigaline development, he says he had been on the housing waiting list for 12 years and he told RedFM News it's a big relief for him and his family:
"It's amazing, because we never thought that we'd have a house of this quality, and with the housing market the way it is- you'd never get a mortgage these days, really. And thoughts of a new house, never thought we'd have it. So, when we got the keys, we had a look around and were shocked by how good it was, but yeah it's fantastic. It really is."
