Minister reveals 13,120 housing commencements Jan–May 2026; Kildare sees 40% rise

Deputy James Browne told the Dáil on 25 June that commencement notices lodged across the State from January to May 2026 totalled 13,120 new homes, compared with 5,033 in the same period of 2025—a 161% increase.

In May alone, 2,099 commencement notices were lodged, more than double the 1,035 received in May 2025.

In Kildare, where Deputy Joe Neville had raised the question, 439 commencement notices were lodged from January to May 2026, up 40% on the corresponding period in 2025. The Minister noted that while it is not possible to predict when developments with planning permission will commence, some 1,406 planning permissions for new homes have been granted in Kildare in the last 12 months to the end of quarter 1 of 2026.

The Minister highlighted other local authority areas. Fingal recorded 1,623 commencement notices from January to May 2026—described as over 11 times more than the same period in 2025. Dublin City lodged 1,047 commencement notices, on par with the corresponding period in 2025.

Broader Housing Delivery Context

The Minister said that over the last five years to the end of quarter 1 of 2026, almost 153,000 new homes have been delivered, compared with 85,262 in the previous five-year period and 29,278 in the five years before that.

He attributed this progress to several Government initiatives:

• The recently revised national planning framework, described as a major step forward in increasing capacity and accelerating homebuilding.
• The newly established Housing Activation Office (HAO), which focuses on identifying and resolving infrastructure constraints that delay development.
• The €1 billion Housing Infrastructure Investment Fund (HIIF), launched in January 2026 and managed by the HAO. Under the first call of the fund, the Minister approved 82 projects, which have the potential to unlock land for 86,000 new homes, with capacity for a further 113,000 homes over time.
• The Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2025, which deals with expiring planning permissions and aims to encourage activation of housing.
• An enhanced Land Development Authority (LDA), working to deliver private, social, affordable, and cost-rental housing.

Apartment Delivery Measures

The Minister also outlined measures to increase apartment construction. Budget 2026 introduced taxation measures including a reduction in VAT on new apartment sales to 9% and an enhanced corporation tax deduction for apartment construction costs. The Department is preparing a draft national planning statement to replace the current apartment guidelines, with the stated aim of striking a balance between standards and quality while promoting increased output.

The Minister said sectoral feedback and preliminary data suggest the sector is responding positively to the renewed environment for apartment delivery.