Their report released today highlights key measures needed to fund successfully the provision of social housing.
The report - "Financing the Irish Social Rented Housing Sector" looks in detail at England and Canada which use private finance to deliver social housing.
Having studied the model in the two countries, Cluid said that the research identified some of the key measures that would help to make private finance work in Ireland.
One of the report's main recommendations is the need for an independent regulator for the social housing sector.
Speaking on the subject, Cluid's Head of Policy Simon Brooke said: "In order for private finance to work effectively in providing funding to housing association there needs to be effective regulation of the sector", he said.
"Up until recently funding for housing associations was in the form of government grants which often paid up top 100% of the funding for building housing and apartments but in the current economic climate that is no longer possible".