This chapter contains information on house building & other construction in Ireland. It includes information on planning permissions, the construction sector, new dwellings completions and the Residential Property Price Index (RPPI). The RPPI measures the change in the level of prices paid for residential properties sold in Ireland.
Construction statistics are compiled by the CSO using inquiries to construction firms or, in the case of planning permissions data, to the planning authorities. Statistics for production in construction are compiled using the quarterly CSO survey, Production in Building and Construction. A measure of new orders in the sector is provided by the CSO inquiry on planning permissions.
New Dwelling Completions data has been compiled using an innovative approach to linking the best available housing related datasets together, resulting in the most accurate analysis available to date. The CSO linked data from ESB Network domestic connections with Building Energy Rating datasets, Revenue datasets, Geodirectory and Census of Population data.
| Houses | Apartments | |
| 2009 | 26814 | 13742 |
| 2010 | 11604 | 6874 |
| 2011 | 9098 | 2547 |
| 2012 | 5389 | 861 |
| 2013 | 6002 | 1197 |
| 2014 | 6626 | 785 |
| 2015 | 10250 | 2794 |
| 2016 | 12481 | 3894 |
| 2017 | 15440 | 5336 |
| 2018 | 20019 | 9224 |
In 2018, there was an annual increase of 29.7% in the number of new houses granted planning permission while there was a 72.9% increase in the number of new apartments granted permission.
Over the period 2009 to 2018 the number of new houses granted permission decreased by 25.3% and the number of new apartments granted permission decreased by 32.9%.
Interactive table: StatBank link
Link to release: Planning Permissions
| Single | Scheme | Apartment | |
| 2011 | 4814 | 1358 | 822 |
| 2012 | 3501 | 964 | 446 |
| 2013 | 2947 | 1155 | 473 |
| 2014 | 2975 | 1795 | 748 |
| 2015 | 3252 | 3294 | 673 |
| 2016 | 3659 | 5070 | 1167 |
| 2017 | 4258 | 7891 | 2224 |
| 2018 | 4685 | 10988 | 2343 |
The number of new dwellings built has increased every year since 2014 with a total of 18,016 new dwelling completions in 2018. This is a 25.3% increase from the 14,373 in 2017.
In 2018, there were 4,685 new single dwellings compared with 4,258 in 2017. This is an increase of 10.0%.
There was more significant increase in scheme dwellings built, growing from 7,891 in 2017 to 10,988 in 2018, an increase of 39.2%.
The number of new apartments built in 2018 was 2,343, increasing 5% from 2,224 in 2017.
Interactive table: Statbank link
Link to release: New Dwelling Completions
The county with the most new dwellings completed in 2018, with 6,907, was Dublin, with 4,884 (70.7%) of these scheme houses and a further 1,746 (25.3%) apartments. The most single dwellings were completed in Cork with 636. Aside from Dublin, Cork (1,757), Meath (1,504) and Kildare (1,225) all have over 1,000 new dwellings completed. Leitrim (67) and Longford (66) both had less than 100 dwellings completed.
Interactive table: Statbank link
Link to release: New Dwelling Completions
| Urban | Rural | |
| 2011 | 2638 | 4351 |
| 2012 | 1810 | 3097 |
| 2013 | 2035 | 2539 |
| 2014 | 2963 | 2555 |
| 2015 | 4485 | 2732 |
| 2016 | 6878 | 3018 |
| 2017 | 10904 | 3469 |
| 2018 | 14118 | 3898 |
The ESB connections dataset provides information on the type of connection, i.e. urban or rural. In 2011 and 2012, almost two-thirds (63.1% in 2012) of all new dwelling completions were rural. This trend is reversed from 2014 onwards when more than half of all new dwelling completions are urban (53.7%). In 2018, close to four-fifths of all new dwelling completions are urban (78.4%).
Linking the coordinates of ESB substations to their corresponding Eircode Routing Key allows for a more detailed breakdown of new dwelling completions. It is worth noting that Routing Keys may cross County boundaries and do not cover a standard geographical or population range.
In 2018, the Eircode Routing Key with the most new dwelling completions was D15 'Dublin 15' (796) followed by D24 'Dublin 24' (634) and A92 Drogheda (613). Eight out of the top ten Eircode Routing Keys with the most new dwelling completions are in Dublin and its commuter belts.
Outside Dublin, the most new dwelling completions can be found in V94 'Limerick' (489) and H91 'Galway' (435).
| Final BER | New Dwelling Completions | |
| 2011 | 999 | 6994 |
| 2012 | 916 | 4911 |
| 2013 | 1252 | 4575 |
| 2014 | 2072 | 5518 |
| 2015 | 3373 | 7219 |
| 2016 | 5353 | 9896 |
| 2017 | 9360 | 14373 |
| 2018 | 11871 | 18016 |
The number of new dwelling Final BER audits for new domestic dwellings in 2018 was 11,871, an increase of 26.8% on 2017.
| Table 12.4 Residential Property Price Index | ||||||||
| Base January 2005=100 | ||||||||
| Year | National - All residential properties | National - houses | National - apartments | National excluding Dublin - all residential properties | National excluding Dublin - houses | Dublin - all residential properties | Dublin - houses | Dublin - apartments |
| 2005 | 105.5 | 105.9 | 102.1 | 104.7 | 105.2 | 106.9 | 107.5 | 105.3 |
| 2006 | 121.2 | 122.0 | 116.3 | 118.4 | 118.9 | 126.2 | 128.7 | 118.9 |
| 2007 | 130.3 | 131.5 | 123.0 | 128.5 | 129.3 | 133.2 | 136.3 | 124.2 |
| 2008 | 121.2 | 123.0 | 112.0 | 121.1 | 122.0 | 121.0 | 125.0 | 111.8 |
| 2009 | 98.0 | 100.9 | 82.2 | 101.0 | 102.4 | 91.4 | 95.7 | 81.3 |
| 2010 | 84.8 | 88.0 | 67.6 | 89.0 | 90.6 | 75.9 | 79.7 | 67.0 |
| 2011 | 70.3 | 73.0 | 56.1 | 73.1 | 74.7 | 63.7 | 66.8 | 56.9 |
| 2012 | 60.9 | 63.4 | 45.8 | 62.0 | 63.4 | 56.3 | 59.5 | 47.1 |
| 2013 | 61.6 | 64.1 | 47.5 | 57.7 | 59.0 | 61.8 | 65.8 | 49.4 |
| 2014 | 71.8 | 74.3 | 57.3 | 62.2 | 63.6 | 76.7 | 81.4 | 62.2 |
| 2015 | 80.1 | 82.8 | 65.2 | 70.4 | 72.0 | 84.4 | 89.3 | 69.5 |
| 2016 | 86.0 | 88.9 | 69.8 | 77.4 | 79.0 | 88.7 | 93.5 | 73.7 |
| 2017 | 95.4 | 98.5 | 77.5 | 86.8 | 88.5 | 97.1 | 102.3 | 80.9 |
| 2018 | 105.1 | 108.4 | 87.4 | 97.2 | 98.7 | 105.4 | 110.7 | 89.5 |
| Source: CSO | ||||||||
The Residential Property Price Index (RPPI) measures the change in the level of prices paid for residential properties sold in Ireland. The index is mix-adjusted to allow for the fact that different types of property are sold in different periods. The index comprises various sub-indices, covering properties in Dublin and outside the capital, houses and apartments.
Table 12.4 shows the index results (Base: January 2005 = 100) for the RPPI and its sub-indices from 2005 to 2018. The overall National index peaked in 2007 and fell to its lowest level in 2012, declining by 53.3% over this period. The index showed its greatest annual increase between 2013 and 2014 (+16.6%) and its greatest annual decrease between 2008 and 2009 (-19.1%). From the historic low in 2012 to 2018 the National index rose by 72.6%.
Dublin residential property prices fell faster than property prices outside the capital, declining by 57.7% from 2007 to 2012. However, they also recovered faster, increasing by 87.2% from 2012 to 2018. In contrast, residential property prices outside the capital declined by 51.8% between 2007 and 2012. They fell a further 6.9% in 2013, but recovered 68.5% of their value between the low point in 2013 and 2018.
Interactive table: StatBank link
Link to release: Residential Property Price Index
| Month | National | Dublin | Excluding Dublin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan-05 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Feb-05 | 100.8 | 102.1 | 100.1 |
| Mar-05 | 101.4 | 102.9 | 100.5 |
| Apr-05 | 102.1 | 103.6 | 101.2 |
| May-05 | 102.8 | 104.4 | 101.9 |
| Jun-05 | 103.7 | 104.5 | 103.3 |
| Jul-05 | 105.3 | 105.7 | 105.1 |
| Aug-05 | 107.1 | 107.8 | 106.7 |
| Sep-05 | 108.2 | 109.7 | 107.4 |
| Oct-05 | 110.6 | 112.8 | 109.3 |
| Nov-05 | 111.5 | 114.3 | 110 |
| Dec-05 | 112.6 | 114.9 | 111.4 |
| Jan-06 | 113.2 | 115.4 | 111.9 |
| Feb-06 | 113.5 | 116.4 | 111.8 |
| Mar-06 | 114.1 | 117.1 | 112.4 |
| Apr-06 | 115.8 | 119.2 | 113.9 |
| May-06 | 118.2 | 122.3 | 115.8 |
| Jun-06 | 120.3 | 125.5 | 117.4 |
| Jul-06 | 123 | 129.5 | 119.5 |
| Aug-06 | 125.8 | 133.3 | 121.6 |
| Sep-06 | 126.8 | 133.5 | 123.1 |
| Oct-06 | 127.6 | 134.4 | 123.8 |
| Nov-06 | 127.6 | 133.9 | 124.1 |
| Dec-06 | 128.6 | 134.1 | 125.5 |
| Jan-07 | 129.7 | 134.3 | 127.1 |
| Feb-07 | 130.3 | 135 | 127.7 |
| Mar-07 | 130.5 | 133.7 | 128.6 |
| Apr-07 | 131 | 134 | 129.2 |
| May-07 | 130.6 | 132.7 | 129.3 |
| Jun-07 | 130.3 | 133 | 128.7 |
| Jul-07 | 130.6 | 133.7 | 128.8 |
| Aug-07 | 130.4 | 133 | 128.8 |
| Sep-07 | 130.4 | 133.3 | 128.7 |
| Oct-07 | 130 | 133.3 | 128.1 |
| Nov-07 | 130 | 132.2 | 128.7 |
| Dec-07 | 129.2 | 130.5 | 128.4 |
| Jan-08 | 128.1 | 127.5 | 128.2 |
| Feb-08 | 127 | 126.8 | 126.9 |
| Mar-08 | 125.9 | 126.1 | 125.6 |
| Apr-08 | 124.8 | 126.1 | 124.1 |
| May-08 | 123.5 | 126.2 | 122.1 |
| Jun-08 | 122.3 | 124.9 | 120.9 |
| Jul-08 | 121.6 | 123.4 | 120.5 |
| Aug-08 | 120.3 | 121.7 | 119.5 |
| Sep-08 | 118.8 | 117.5 | 119.1 |
| Oct-08 | 116.2 | 113.4 | 117.2 |
| Nov-08 | 114.1 | 110.2 | 115.7 |
| Dec-08 | 111.9 | 108 | 113.5 |
| Jan-09 | 109 | 105 | 110.8 |
| Feb-09 | 106 | 100.3 | 108.5 |
| Mar-09 | 103.2 | 96.6 | 106.3 |
| Apr-09 | 100.9 | 92.9 | 104.6 |
| May-09 | 98.5 | 90.9 | 102.1 |
| Jun-09 | 96.9 | 89.8 | 100.2 |
| Jul-09 | 95.5 | 88.9 | 98.5 |
| Aug-09 | 94.3 | 89 | 96.6 |
| Sep-09 | 94.2 | 88.6 | 96.8 |
| Oct-09 | 93.1 | 86.6 | 96.2 |
| Nov-09 | 92.8 | 85 | 96.4 |
| Dec-09 | 91.5 | 83.2 | 95.5 |
| Jan-10 | 90.6 | 81.1 | 95.2 |
| Feb-10 | 89.2 | 79.2 | 94.1 |
| Mar-10 | 88.1 | 77.5 | 93.6 |
| Apr-10 | 87.6 | 77.3 | 92.8 |
| May-10 | 86.1 | 76.5 | 90.7 |
| Jun-10 | 85.1 | 75.5 | 89.9 |
| Jul-10 | 84.2 | 75 | 88.8 |
| Aug-10 | 84 | 75.4 | 87.9 |
| Sep-10 | 83 | 75.2 | 86.2 |
| Oct-10 | 81.6 | 74 | 84.6 |
| Nov-10 | 79.9 | 72.5 | 82.9 |
| Dec-10 | 78.7 | 71.2 | 81.8 |
| Jan-11 | 78 | 70.5 | 81.3 |
| Feb-11 | 76.5 | 69 | 79.8 |
| Mar-11 | 74.7 | 67.1 | 78.1 |
| Apr-11 | 73.7 | 66.6 | 76.6 |
| May-11 | 72.4 | 65.5 | 75.2 |
| Jun-11 | 71.3 | 64.6 | 74.1 |
| Jul-11 | 69.8 | 63.6 | 72.2 |
| Aug-11 | 68 | 62.3 | 70 |
| Sep-11 | 66.6 | 60.6 | 68.9 |
| Oct-11 | 65.4 | 59.4 | 67.7 |
| Nov-11 | 64.3 | 58.1 | 66.9 |
| Dec-11 | 63.3 | 57 | 66.1 |
| Jan-12 | 62.3 | 56 | 65.1 |
| Feb-12 | 60.9 | 54.5 | 63.9 |
| Mar-12 | 61.2 | 54.9 | 64.1 |
| Apr-12 | 60.2 | 54.7 | 62.4 |
| May-12 | 60 | 54.7 | 62 |
| Jun-12 | 59.9 | 55 | 61.5 |
| Jul-12 | 60.5 | 56.1 | 61.5 |
| Aug-12 | 60.6 | 56.8 | 61 |
| Sep-12 | 61.1 | 57.5 | 61.2 |
| Oct-12 | 61.3 | 58 | 61.1 |
| Nov-12 | 61.1 | 58.4 | 60.3 |
| Dec-12 | 61.3 | 59.1 | 60 |
| Jan-13 | 60.2 | 58.6 | 58.3 |
| Feb-13 | 59.5 | 57.6 | 58.1 |
| Mar-13 | 58.7 | 57.2 | 56.8 |
| Apr-13 | 59 | 57.9 | 56.7 |
| May-13 | 59 | 58.3 | 56.2 |
| Jun-13 | 60.5 | 60.4 | 56.9 |
| Jul-13 | 62 | 62.6 | 57.4 |
| Aug-13 | 62.8 | 64.2 | 57.5 |
| Sep-13 | 63.8 | 65.3 | 58.3 |
| Oct-13 | 64.2 | 65.7 | 58.7 |
| Nov-13 | 64.5 | 66.5 | 58.4 |
| Dec-13 | 65.3 | 67.3 | 59.1 |
| Jan-14 | 65.4 | 67.6 | 58.9 |
| Feb-14 | 65.6 | 68 | 59.1 |
| Mar-14 | 66.1 | 69 | 58.9 |
| Apr-14 | 67.5 | 71 | 59.5 |
| May-14 | 69.3 | 73.6 | 60.5 |
| Jun-14 | 71.3 | 76.6 | 61.2 |
| Jul-14 | 73.5 | 79.7 | 62.3 |
| Aug-14 | 74.9 | 81.5 | 63.3 |
| Sep-14 | 76.5 | 83.5 | 64.4 |
| Oct-14 | 77.3 | 84 | 65.5 |
| Nov-14 | 77.6 | 83.8 | 66.3 |
| Dec-14 | 77 | 82.6 | 66.4 |
| Jan-15 | 77.3 | 83 | 66.6 |
| Feb-15 | 77 | 82.6 | 66.5 |
| Mar-15 | 77.3 | 82.5 | 67 |
| Apr-15 | 77.9 | 82.6 | 68.1 |
| May-15 | 78.8 | 83.2 | 69.2 |
| Jun-15 | 80.1 | 84.3 | 70.5 |
| Jul-15 | 80.7 | 84.7 | 71.2 |
| Aug-15 | 81.7 | 85.6 | 72.2 |
| Sep-15 | 82 | 85.5 | 72.8 |
| Oct-15 | 82.9 | 86.6 | 73.5 |
| Nov-15 | 82.6 | 86.2 | 73.4 |
| Dec-15 | 82.5 | 85.8 | 73.5 |
| Jan-16 | 83.2 | 87 | 73.8 |
| Feb-16 | 82.7 | 86.4 | 73.5 |
| Mar-16 | 83 | 86.6 | 73.8 |
| Apr-16 | 83.5 | 87.1 | 74.2 |
| May-16 | 83.7 | 86.8 | 74.7 |
| Jun-16 | 84.5 | 87 | 76.1 |
| Jul-16 | 86.4 | 88.1 | 78.5 |
| Aug-16 | 87.6 | 89.4 | 79.5 |
| Sep-16 | 88.6 | 90.8 | 80.1 |
| Oct-16 | 89.1 | 91 | 80.7 |
| Nov-16 | 90.2 | 92.1 | 81.9 |
| Dec-16 | 89.9 | 91.5 | 81.7 |
| Jan-17 | 90.5 | 92 | 82.4 |
| Feb-17 | 90.7 | 92.2 | 82.7 |
| Mar-17 | 91.1 | 92.8 | 82.8 |
| Apr-17 | 91.4 | 92.1 | 84.1 |
| May-17 | 92.8 | 94.5 | 84.4 |
| Jun-17 | 94.1 | 96.3 | 85.1 |
| Jul-17 | 96.4 | 98.5 | 87.4 |
| Aug-17 | 97.9 | 99.9 | 88.8 |
| Sep-17 | 99.2 | 101 | 90.2 |
| Oct-17 | 99.5 | 101.5 | 90.4 |
| Nov-17 | 100.3 | 101.8 | 91.6 |
| Dec-17 | 100.8 | 102.2 | 92.1 |
| Jan-18 | 101.2 | 102.8 | 92.4 |
| Feb-18 | 102 | 103.7 | 92.9 |
| Mar-18 | 102.6 | 103.7 | 94.1 |
| Apr-18 | 103.6 | 104.1 | 95.7 |
| May-18 | 104.3 | 104.8 | 96.2 |
| Jun-18 | 105.3 | 104.9 | 98 |
| July-18 | 106 | 105.8 | 98.5 |
| Aug-18 | 106.6 | 106.6 | 98.8 |
| Sept-18 | 107.6 | 107.5 | 99.8 |
| Oct-18 | 107.8 | 107.8 | 100 |
| Nov-18 | 107.5 | 107 | 100 |
| Dec-18 | 107.1 | 106.1 | 100.2 |
The total number of residential property transactions recorded by the Revenue Commissioners in 2018 was 44,499. The combined value of these transactions was €1.3 billion. The median value of dwellings sold nationally in 2018 was €248,000.
In 2018 the Eircode area with the highest median price for household dwelling purchases was A94 'Blackrock' (€620,000). The ten most expensive Eircode areas by median price in 2018 were in Dublin. The Eircode areas with the next highest median price were D04 ‘Dublin 4’ where the median price was €595,000. The third most expensive was D06 ‘Dublin 6’, which had a median price of €590,360.
The least expensive Eircode area within Dublin by median price was D10 'Dublin 10', with a median of €234,000.
Outside Dublin the most expensive Eircode area in 2018 was A63 'Greystones', with a median price of €424,708. The second most expensive Eircode area was A86 'Dunboyne', where the median price was €415,000. The third most expensive was A98 'Bray', which had a median price of €360,000.
The least expensive Eircode area in 2018 was H23 'Clones', with a median price of €65,000. The second least expensive Eircode areas were F45 'Castlerea' were the median price was €72,000 and the third least expensive was H14 'Belturbet', which had a median price of €83,000.
Interactive Table: StatBank link
| Table 12.5 Value and volume indices of production in all building and construction | ||||||
| Base year 2010=100 | ||||||
| Total production in all building and construction | ||||||
| Value of production | Volume of production | |||||
| Year | Index | Annual % change | Index | Annual % change | ||
| 2007 | 309.3 | -9.3 | 318.8 | -13.4 | ||
| 2008 | 226.4 | -26.8 | 225.6 | -29.2 | ||
| 2009 | 140.7 | -37.9 | 142.3 | -36.9 | ||
| 2010 | 100.0 | -28.9 | 100.0 | -29.7 | ||
| 2011 | 81.3 | -18.7 | 83.3 | -16.7 | ||
| 2012 | 79.9 | -1.7 | 81.3 | -2.4 | ||
| 2013 | 89.7 | 12.3 | 90.5 | 11.3 | ||
| 2014 | 98.0 | 9.3 | 97.9 | 8.2 | ||
| 2015 | 106.6 | 8.8 | 105.6 | 7.9 | ||
| 2016 | 127.0 | 19.1 | 124.9 | 18.3 | ||
| 2017 | 152.4 | 20.0 | 147.4 | 18.0 | ||
| Source: CSO | ||||||
Output in total building and construction increased by 20.0% in 2017 when compared with 2016. Between 2007 and 2017, the volume of output in building and construction decreased by 53.8%.
Interactive table: StatBank link
Link to release: Production in Building and Construction
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