40 unfinished housing developments around the country have been earmarked for demolition in a new report.
Although 553 previously unfinished developments were completed in the past year, there are still 1,258 so-called "ghost" estates.
Furthermore, developer bonds set aside to cover the cost of providing public infrastructure have expired in one out of six of these estates.
Almost 1,000 of the unfinished housing developments have people living in them.
Minister for Housing and Planning Jan O'Sullivan this morning said she was particularly eager to tidy those up.
Launching the Annual Progress Report on Resolving Unfinished Housing Developments, the minister said that of the 40 identified as suitable for demolition or levelling, "almost all" were unoccupied.
However, she said that where there were residents, they would be catered for with alternative accommodation.
The cost of any demolition would be borne by the developer, owner or financial institution in charge of the site.
The Government set aside €10m in the Budget to resolve unfinished estates.
Local authorities continue to pursue developers to comply with their legal obligations, compelling them to finish estates.
But the Annual Progress Report also revealed the difficulties local authorities are having in trying to draw down bonds lodged by developers to provide for the provision of public infrastructure.
As well as the issue of expired bonds, 79 developments never had a bond, including eight estates with more than 100 dwellings.
The second annual progress report on unfinished housing developments in Ireland shows the number has more than halved since 2010.
