Around thirty zones across Dublin are to be designated as special regeneration areas when a new agency to promote affordable house building is launched later.
Grangegorman, Harold's Cross Greyhound Stadium and St. James' Gate are among the places that could become home to large developments.
It's understood 1500 homes could be built next to the Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum, while the Naas Road is also being earmarked for development.
The government says the new Land Development Agency will pave the way for the construction of 150 thousand homes over 20 years.
More than a billion euro is being poured into it as part of an effort to build more affordable homes.
Almost a third of them will have to be affordable under the plans by Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy - in a move to try and address the current shortage.
According to the Irish Times, the agency will be allowed to use compulsory purchase orders to buy up land beside sites owned by the state.
The government's due to announce the full details of which sites are being earmarked for development today.
