Protests will not build any houses, according to the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.
He has hit out at the Take Back the City movement. saying people have the right to protest but should not break the law while doing so.
He also slapped down a suggestion by Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan of banning people from taking photos of Gardaí who are on duty.
Mr Varadkar said taking to the streets will not achieve anything.
"Protests aren't going to build any houses - but Government will build houses and the private sector will build houses as well.
"That ultimately will be the solution to this problem.
"Protests are part of democracy and protests are welcome - they're part of a healthy democracy.
"However, protests should be peaceful and they should occur in accordance with the law".
It comes as housing looks set to dominate the new Dáil term as it gets underway Tuesday afternoon.
Health, Brexit and the budget are also set to take centre stage.
While a motion of no confidence in Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy will be debated next week.
A number of parties have also called for a nationwide freeze on rent increases.
This would mean it would be illegal for landlords to increase rent for any reason for a period of two or three years.
Two parties have called for it to be made illegal to increase rents in all circumstances.
The Social Democrats have called for a national freeze on rent increases as the Dáil returns pic.twitter.com/0iORiMi9zM
— Sean Defoe (@SeanDefoe) September 18, 2018
Social Democrats TD Roisin Shortall says it needs to be done to deal with rising rent costs.
"There's no other measure that will work at this point - we need to stop and we need to re-evaluate what is happening across a whole lot of different aspects of the housing issue.
"But rents are key to this".
Sinn Féin's Pearse Doherty says it needs to be done.
"Our rent freeze would be right across the State - as I said it's an emergency measure.
"It's there because we have absolutely rents that are out of control.
"We need to bring them into line".
Additional reporting: Stephen McNeice and Jack Quann
