Environment Minister Eamon Ryan has said a new levy on concrete should see house-building use more timber frames.
He was speaking after a Defective Concrete Products Levy was announced in Budget 2023 to help cover the Mica redress scheme.
The levy is expected to raise €80 million per year, and will be applied at a rate of 10% from April 2023.
However there are concerns the levy will be passed on to consumers, adding to the cost of home building.
Minister Ryan told Newstalk Breakfast he hopes this approach could mean a better controlled and regulated industry.
Asked if this would mean less blocks used in building, he said: "Much more timber framing, exactly, that's where we do need to go.
"We have the raw material here, we've a potential industry developing in it.
"We can't just keep going business as usual in that industry, it does have to change".
He said the mistake was allowing defective products into houses in the first place.
"There also has to be a message to the industry, and reform of that industry, so we don't just write a multi-billion euro blank cheque and say 'It doesn't matter, you don't have any responsibility'.
"The homebuyer's picking up the actual much bigger tab, which is through our tax system.
"The several billions we're going to have to actually spend now of public money.
"It's not as if the tab disappears - where does it land? It is landing unfortunately in the lap of the Irish people.
"I think it's appropriate that a small portion of that is paid by the industry", he added.
