The Economic and Social Research Institute has described the Covid-19 outbreak as a major shock to economic life which is unprecedented in modern times.
In its latest Quarterly Economic Commentary, the think tank urges the Government to invest in social housing and retrofitting homes to stimulate the economy.
The ESRI says the Government should stimulate activity in the economy, which it expects to be "very fragile" in the short to medium term.
It expects unemployment this year to average 17%. It believes the downturn prompted by Covid-19 is a good time to catch up with the underlying demand for housing.