A reduction in the minimum size of studio apartments is among the measures that Cabinet will consider next week to encourage developers to build more apartments.
Minister for Housing James Browne will propose cutting the size of these apartments to 32 square metres and introducing a new standard design of 76 square metres for three-bed units.
The current minimum floor area for one-bed apartments is 37 square metres with three-bed apartments currently limited to 90 square metres.
The minister will tell Government colleagues that the proposed changes will cut building costs by between €50,000 and €100,000 per apartment.
Watch: Minister for Housing proposes cut to apartment sizes
The Minister has insisted that there will be no downgrading to fire, accessibility or environmental standards.
The requirement for a certain number of one-bedroom and three-bedroom apartments in every development will also be removed.
Currently, the rules require 33% of apartments in urban locations to have windows on at least two external walls allowing for views in more than one direction in what is called 'dual aspect'.
There is a 50% requirement in suburban locations, but the new guidelines will create a universal 25% rule.
The existing apartment guidelines also stipulate that the majority of apartments must exceed minimum sizes by 10%.
The new Guidelines will reduce this requirement from the majority of units to a minimum of 25% of units.
'Utter madness' - Ó Broin questions new measures
Sinn Féin's housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin said these latest measures are "utter madness" that will do nothing to address viability challenges.
Mr Ó Broin predicted that they would push up the value of land and developers' costs.
He believes they will also reduce living standards at a time of rising rents.
Minister Browne said the measures he is taking will make a difference and deliver far more homes.
Speaking on RTÉ's The Week in Politics, he said that rents are way too high but the only way to address this and the housing crisis generally is "supply, supply, supply".
The minister said moves to change standards for apartment building will make them affordable for buyers and more viable for builders.
Minister Browne said there is a need to be radical around planning and he believes the new legislation in this area will have an impact "very quickly".
He said the private sector has to be activated to build homes and there has been too much caution.
"I think we over corrected since the crash and we've been way too cautious," he said.
Speaking on the same programme, Social Democrats' Rory Hearne said the changes being mooted in terms of apartments will "only incentivise more build-to-rent box units" that people can neither afford to live in or want to live in.
"They want affordable homes that they can buy or rent and that families can live in as well," he said.
"I'm deeply worried that we're going back to the Celtic Tiger and building units that families won't actually be able to live in."
Mr Hearne said the State is "failing to grasp the extent of this emergency and the extent of policy change that's needed to address it".
Meanwhile, Labour's housing spokesperson Conor Sheehan said only the State has "deep enough pockets" to tackle the housing crisis and it must play a greater role.
He also said the Cost Rental Scheme is "flawed" and not affordable, and should not be tied to the market rate.
"We've cost rental rents approaching €1,700 and €1,800 a month. That should be tied to income," he said.
Mr Sheehan also said changing apartment design rules will cause further planning and construction delays.
He said it would lead to further uncertainty after the recent botched RPZ changes.
