Minister for Housing Darragh O'Brien has rejected accusations that the Government is failing in its delivery of social and affordable housing.
In the first three months of this year 158 new social homes were built. The 2024 target for new social housing is 9,300.
Mr O'Brien promised that both the social and affordable targets would be met this year.
He said 83% of last year's social housing delivery was in the final two quarters, and was heavily weighted to the final three months.
"There may be some hoping we will fail, but we won't fail.... last year we built more social homes than we had in 50 years and I expect us to exceed that this year," he said.
Earlier, the Department of Housing said that most of the delivery of social housing in 2024 will be in the final months of the year, as has happened previously.
A further 330 social homes were acquired in the first quarter while 232 were leased.
In total, 720 social homes were delivered in the first quarter out of a 2024 aim of 12,930 social homes.
The department said that the strength of the pipeline indicates that last year's delivery will be surpassed this year.
The latest Construction Status Report shows that 9,179 social homes were on site at the end of March, with an additional 15,848 homes at design and tender stage.
Regarding affordable housing, 1,053 homes were delivered in the first quarter.
Under the First Home Scheme, 809 were delivered, with 32 under the local authority purchase scheme, 150 under the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, 24 from approved housing bodies and 38 from the cost rental tenant in situ scheme.
Zero were built by local authorities.
