The Government has defended the removal of annual targets for housing delivery, with the Minister for Housing saying they "can become a distraction".
James Browne said that data on completions will be available each year.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin also defended the absence of annual targets, saying it was difficult to put yearly precise figures on private sector delivery in particular.
He also said that the demarcation lines for annual targets could be false in terms of house completions.
Speaking on RTÉ's News at One, following the publication of a new housing plan titled 'Delivering Homes, Building Communities', the Minister Browne said the plan represents a further step change on how homes are delivered nationwide.
The plan has pledged that a minimum of 300,000 new homes will be built by 2030.
It states that this is not an upper limit but a realistic projection of what is achievable by getting the public and private sector working effectively together.
Under the plan, the publication of which has been delayed for months, the State will deliver 72,000 social homes.
Watch: Minister for Housing James Browne discusses the new housing plan on RTÉ's Six One news
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Mr Browne said said €1 billion will be put into the infrastructure fund to "address the blockages in terms of activating housing on the ground."
The Housing Activation Office would be "going from local authority to local authority seeing where those blockages are, the LDA with an additional €2.5 billion to deliver homes at scale right across the country...and then very targeted measures for homelessness."
Mr Browne said the plan is about scaling up and regaining momentum on housing delivery.
He said the numbers of people in emergency accommodation will start to drop "as soon as we get more supply into the system."
Opposition parties have already branded its launch this morning as a damp squib and accused the Government of repackaging old ideas which have failed to prevent the rise in homelessness.
Watch: Taoiseach says housing issue has 'profound social and economic impacts'
The plan recognises that homelessness is the single most pressing social issue that the country faces.
It will provide dedicated capital funding of €100 million to buy second-hand properties to support the exit of families longest in homeless emergency accommodation.
It will also develop a Child and Family action plan which aims to provide 2,000 tenancies through the Housing First Programme.
There is a promise to deliver more suitable homes and choice for older people in private housing.
There will also be continued investment in high quality Traveller-specific accommodation.
90,000 starter homes are pledged under the plan which aims to support the private sector to deliver homes at much greater scale by providing more zoned and serviced land, reducing planning, legal and regulatory delays and by increasing investment in public infrastructure.
A new €400 million tranche of equity to help smaller construction companies to build homes will be included in the plan.
The housing plan includes the commitment of €28.2 billion of exchequer funding for housing.
The plan states that this is made up of €12.2 billion for water and wastewater services.
It also re-states a commitment to provide €3.5 billion for ESB networks and Eirgird.
A commitment of €24.3 billion has been provided for the transport sector.
Watch: Taoiseach signs wall in commitment to housing plan
Focus on vacant properties in plan
Today's strategy aims to convert more vacant shops and premises into homes with funding of up to €140,000 per property set to be made available.
There will be finance for expert advice on how best to turn these spaces into residential units.
The housing plan promises to bring 20,000 derelict homes back into use through the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant.
It has also says a New Derelict Property Tax will be introduced, administered and collected by the Revenue Commissioners.
The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grand is being expanded to included a Above the Shop top up grant.
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The Living City Initiative is being extended to 2030 and will include properties in Athlone, Drogheda, Dundalk, Letterkenny and Sligo.
The plan commits to the delivery of more one-bedroom and four-bedroom homes.
The report says the proportion of single people in homelessness is rising.
The housing plan also promises a National Planning Statement for housing in An Ghaeltacht to provide clarity and consistency within the planning system in relation to the protection of the Irish language.
Under the new housing plan the First Homes Scheme, which see the State take a stake in a first time buyers home, is being extended.
The scheme currently applies to new builds but is now being widened to help first time buyers seeking to purchase and renovate derelict or long term vacant properties.
The Help to Buy scheme, which allows buyers claim up to €30,000 in tax previously paid towards a deposit, is being extended until the end of 2030.
The plan puts a big emphasis on bringing vacant and derelict properties back into use.
Housing 'a defining issue for our people', says Taoiseach
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said that housing is at the core of the Government's agenda.
Speaking at the launch of the plan, he said: "It is the defining issue for our people with profound social and economic impacts."
Mr Martin said that to build homes at scale would require much improved water, energy and transport infrastructure.
He said these areas would see large investment.
Also speaking at the launch of the plan, Tánaiste Simon Harris said that housing is a national emergency and the single biggest challenge the country faces.
He said the challenge is not money, but in speeding up delivery and removing blockages.
Housing plan will not tackle causes of housing crisis, says Ó Broin
Sinn Féin's housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin said it is clear from reading the housing plan that "the emperor has no clothes".
"This is not a new housing plan," he said.
"This is a reheated and repackaged version of the failed Darragh O'Brien housing plan."
He said the plan will not tackle the "underlying causes of our housing crisis".
Mr Ó Broin said the Government is underestimating the overall need for housing by a "margin of about 20%".
"They have ignored the Housing Commission's recommendations around the housing deficit," he said.
"The idea that 50,000 new homes a year will address our housing crisis simply is not correct," said Mr Ó Broin.
He said annual targets allowed the Opposition and the public to track the Government's progress or "lack of progress".
"By scrapping those annual targets, they are essentially saying they know they can't meet them and want to avoid proper scrutiny from the Opposition," he said.
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