Architects, planners and developers gathered in Dublin today to plan for the housing needs of Ireland's growing population.
The Minister for Housing and Urban Renewal, Noel Ahern, who was due to open the conference, said that estimates indicate that some 600,000 new homes will be needed over the coming nine years.
The two-day conference will bring together a wide range of experts from the public and private sectors.
Aidan O'Connor from the Department of the Environment, who is co-chairing the conference, said a lot of thought needed to be put into future development.
