Darragh O'Brien says Olympic champion Kellie Harrington 'is right' to say the housing crisis is 'atrocious'.
The Minster for Housing said his "whole focus" is making sure "people like Kellie" can afford to buy a home.
He told Newstalk today that he is working on a scheme to make better use of vacant properties.
He said: "Kellie is right. it has been really difficult for the last number of years.
"It is going to get better through this year.
"We are going to have that very soon, another grant that will be available to be able to take older homes back into use, to give that assistance to people like Kellie to be able to do up that house.
"We have got to recognise that, if we want more people living (in our cities) and we want to use our vacant properties better, we have got the help first-time buyers to do that and I am concluding work on that scheme.
The boxer has been trying to move into a home on Portland Row with her fiancee Mandy Loughlin, but said it has been "nearly impossible".
Harrington told Independent.ie that the housing crisis is "atrocious".
She said: "I’m hoping to move back into town, onto Portland Row. I am trying to get a mortgage at the moment but it’s proving nearly impossible.
"We’re trying, it’s not for the want of trying and we’ll keep trying.
"Now I understand how bloody hard it is for other people as well. It’s nearly made impossible for young people to get a foot on that property ladder.
"I think I’m nearly sorted but it’s been hard. The properties around the city that nobody wanted before, now everybody wants them. This is where we’re from and we can’t purchase a property where we’re from, we can’t move back into the area."
To get the latest breaking news straight to your inbox, sign up for our free newsletter.
