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E-mail: sscu@cso.ie Hannah Heeran (+353) 1 498 4293 Laura Flannelly (+353) 1 498 4230 Kieran Culhane (+353) 1 498 4364
For general information on CSO statistics:
information@cso.ie (+353) 21 453 5000 On-line ISSN
CSO statistical release, , 11am

New Dwelling Completions

Quarter 3 2018

 Number of new dwelling completions
 SingleSchemeApartmentTotals
Quarter 3 20171,1312,0056503,786
Quarter 3 20181,2082,8216444,673
 % change6.8%40.7%-0.9%23.4%

Number of new dwelling completions up 23.4% in year

Figure 1: New dwelling completions by type of dwelling, Q1 2016 - Q3 2018
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In the third quarter of 2018, there were 4,673 new dwelling completions, compared with 3,786 completions in the same period last year, an increase of 23.4%. This brings the total number of new dwellings completed in 2018 to 12,582, an increase of 27.7% to 2017 where 9,856 dwellings were completed in the first three quarters of that year.

The third quarter figures also show that:

  • Single dwellings increased by 6.8% from 1,131 in the third quarter of 2017 to 1,208 in quarter three of 2018. See Table 1.
  • Scheme dwellings rose significantly in Q3 2018 when 2,821 were completed, an increase of 40.7% on Q3 2017 when 2,005 were built. See Table 1.
  • The number of new apartments completed in Q3 2018 was 644, a marginal decrease of 0.9% on Q3 2017. See Table 1.
  • Of the total number of new dwelling completions in Q3 2018, scheme dwellings made up 60.4%, single dwellings 25.9% with apartments totalling 13.8%. See Table 1.

ESB domestic connections dataset used as primary source

The primary data source used for the New Dwellings Completions series is the ESB Networks new domestic connections dataset where the date that the connection is energised determines the date of completion. It is accepted that the ESB domestic connections dataset is overestimating new dwellings and the CSO has adjusted for this overcount by using additional information from the ESB and other data sources.

ESB connections are classified into four categories: new dwelling completions, UFHDs, reconnections and non-dwellings. The dwelling type (single, scheme, apartment) and urban-rural divide is defined by the ESB Network. See Background Notes and Methodology for a more detailed discussion of the classification.

The New Dwelling Completions series is based on the number of domestic dwellings connected by the ESB Network to the electricity supply and may not accord precisely with Local Authority or Eircode Routing Key boundaries.

The CSO has utilised other available data sources to validate and enhance the ESB connections dataset. However, this was only possible where the connections dataset could be confidently linked to another dataset using unique identifiers or by address matching. As the level of Eircode collection, coverage and storage increases across data sources in the housing sector, it is expected that the precision of estimates on new dwelling completions can be further enhanced.

Student accommodation

There has been a significant level of construction output in the student accommodation sector. These are generally connected to the ESB Network as commercial connections and are therefore not included in the ESB domestic connections dataset and have also not been included in ESB connections released by DHPLG. The data available on this sector is on a “bed space” basis and it is not currently possible to report on it as dwellings, which are self-contained units of living accommodation. Based on consultation with stakeholders in this sector, student accommodation may be included in future New Dwelling Completions reports as a separate category. In Q3 2018, 2,447 bed spaces were completed in the student accommodation sector which brings the total completed since Q2 2016 to 5,531.

Table NDQ04 has been corrected on 1st February 2019 to show the correct sum of total ESB connections for 2011 and 2014.

78.7% of new dwelling completions in urban areas in Q3 2018

The ESB domestic connections dataset provides information on the type of connection and whether it is in an urban or rural area. Figure 2 below shows that in Q3 2018, more than three quarters of all new dwelling completions (78.7%) are urban with 21.3% being in rural areas compared to Q3 2017 when 75.1% were urban and 24.9% rural. See Table 2.

UrbanRural
Q1 20161405559
Q2 20161661733
Q3 20161692817
Q4 20162137903
Q1 20172074701
Q2 20172443852
Q3 20172845941
Q4 20173603976
Q1 20182689801
Q2 20183444975
Q3 20183679994

Dublin and Mid-East make up 61% of all new dwelling completions in Q3 2018

The number of new dwelling completions was highest in Dublin at 1,872 followed by the Mid-East at 980 completions. These two regions combined also accounted for 73.8% of all scheme dwellings completed in Q3 2018. Apart from Dublin, Meath County Council, Kildare County Council and Cork County Council record more than 200 new scheme dwellings each in Q3 2018. The South-West was the region with the most single dwellings completed, led by Cork County Council where 133 new single dwellings were completed. There were 483 new apartments completed in Dublin which accounted for three quarters of all new apartments in Q3 2018. See Table 3.

'Dublin 15' the Eircode area with the most new dwelling completions

In Q3 2018, the Eircode area with the most new dwelling completions was D15 'Dublin 15' (206) followed by W91 'Naas' (173) and C15 'Navan' (157). Nine out of the top ten Eircode Routing Keys with the most new dwelling completions are in Dublin and its commuter belts accounting for 31% of all new dwelling completions. See Figure 3.

New dwelling completions and ESB connections

Domestic ESB connections in Q3 2018 totalled 5,739, an increase of 15% on Q3 2017. The ESB domestic connections series shows a comparable trend to the NDC series compiled by the CSO as shown in Figure 4. However, there is a significant difference in volume between the two series. The starting point for the NDC series is the ESB domestic connections dataset, with adjustments made to account for previously finished houses in unfinished housing developments (UFHDs), reconnections and non-dwellings as shown in Figure 5 and Table 4.

New dwelling completionsESB connections
Q1 201619643150
Q2 201623943486
Q3 201625093874
Q4 201630404413
Q1 201727753902
Q2 201732954566
Q3 201737864991
Q4 201745795726
Q1 201834904457
Q2 201844195460
Q3 201846735739

UFHDs decline by 26.1% in Q3 2018

The number of previously finished dwellings in unfinished housing developments (UFHDs) dropped from 253 in Q3 2017 to 187 in Q3 2018, a decline of 26.1%. From the peak in Q3 2014 when 716 UFHDs were connected to the ESB Network, UFHDs have decreased by 73.9%. A property which is reconnected to the ESB network after having been disconnected for more than two years, is assigned a new MPRN and is therefore included in the ESB connections datasets. These reconnections decreased by 10.3% to stand at 654 in Q3 2018. The number of non-dwellings has increased slightly by 0.9%. See Figure 5 and Table 4.

UFHDReconnectionNon-dwelling
Q1 2016409579198
Q2 2016286599207
Q3 2016508667190
Q4 2016398738237
Q1 2017313592222
Q2 2017315724232
Q3 2017253729223
Q4 2017203659285
Q1 2018176558233
Q2 2018185613243
Q3 2018187654225

Most reconnections and UFHDs outside of Dublin

Table 5 shows the type of ESB connection by NUTS3 region. Border (114) and West (94) regions show the highest number of reconnections. In Q3 2018, the South-West shows the highest number of UFHDs at 37. Dublin and Mid-East combined make up 61% of all new dwelling completions in Q3 2018. Non-dwellings are highest in the South-West (55) and the West (40).

Table 1 New dwelling completions, classified by type of dwelling, 2011 - Q3 2018
Period SingleSchemeApartmentTotals
2011Q11,1564472721,875
2011Q21,1943802171,791
2011Q31,1973051851,687
2011Q41,2672261481,641
 Year4,8141,3588226,994
2012Q17972111231,131
2012Q2847194761,117
2012Q3868244931,205
2012Q49893151541,458
 Year3,5019644464,911
2013Q163817477889
2013Q27212811441,146
2013Q3727267391,033
2013Q48614332131,507
 Year2,9471,1554734,575
2014Q16253091601,094
2014Q27123652411,318
2014Q37285061701,404
2014Q49106151771,702
 Year2,9751,7957485,518
2015Q16596061061,371
2015Q27356741611,570
2015Q38798992552,033
2015Q49791,1151512,245
 Year3,2523,2946737,219
2016Q16959253441,964
2016Q28841,2582522,394
2016Q39821,2362912,509
2016Q41,0951,6582873,040
 Year3,6565,0771,1749,907
2017Q18671,4254832,775
2017Q21,0371,7884703,295
2017Q31,1312,0056503,786
2017Q41,2312,7026464,579
 Year4,2667,9202,24914,435
2018Q19762,0334813,490
2018Q21,1592,7614994,419
2018Q31,2082,8216444,673
Table 2 New dwelling completions, by urban v rural, 2011 - Q3 2018
Period UrbanRuralTotals
2011Q18411,0331,874
2011Q27061,0811,787
2011Q36021,0851,687
2011Q44891,1521,641
 Year2,6384,3516,989
2012Q14157161,131
2012Q23687491,117
2012Q34257781,203
2012Q46028541,456
 Year1,8103,0974,907
2013Q1329560889
2013Q25346111,145
2013Q33986351,033
2013Q47747331,507
 Year2,0352,5394,574
2014Q15405541,094
2014Q27166021,318
2014Q37956091,404
2014Q49127901,702
 Year2,9632,5555,518
2015Q18325391,371
2015Q29526181,570
2015Q31,2817512,032
2015Q41,4208242,244
 Year4,4852,7327,217
2016Q11,4055591,964
2016Q21,6617332,394
2016Q31,6928172,509
2016Q42,1379033,040
 Year6,8953,0129,907
2017Q12,0747012,775
2017Q22,4438523,295
2017Q32,8459413,786
2017Q43,6039764,579
 Year10,9653,47014,435
2018Q12,6898013,490
2018Q23,4449754,419
2018Q33,6799944,673
Table 3 New dwelling completions by type of dwelling and Local Authority, Q3 2018
Local AuthoritySingleSchemeApartmentTotals
Border1768711274
Cavan2316039
Donegal863911136
Leitrim910019
Monaghan306036
Sligo2816044
West1945717268
Galway City911020
Galway County101182121
Mayo6117078
Roscommon 23111549
Mid-West1318614231
Clare5025277
Limerick455412111
Tipperary367043
South-East14617129346
Carlow1422238
Kilkenny3091655
Waterford287711116
Wexford74630137
South-West20130860569
Cork City7293975
Cork County13322816377
Kerry61515117
Dublin821,3074831,872
Dublin City Council22231308561
Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown25167175367
Fingal244910515
South Dublin114180429
Mid-East18777617980
Louth37964137
Kildare452678320
Meath733205398
Wicklow 32930125
Midlands912913133
Laois3023356
Longford84517
Offaly200525
Westmeath 332035
Note: Local Authority based on substation of dwelling where available
Table 4 ESB connection by type of connection, 2011 - Q3 2018
Period NDCUFHDReconnectionNon-DwellingTotals
2011Q11,8753832412052,740
2011Q21,7913312242092,555
2011Q31,6873262991952,507
2011Q41,6413383262182,523
 Year6,9941,3781,09082710,289
2012Q11,1312783021791,890
2012Q21,1173572941961,964
2012Q31,2054312711632,070
2012Q41,4583853931852,421
 Year4,9111,4511,2607238,345
2013Q18893542801561,679
2013Q21,1463233471611,977
2013Q31,0333933921441,962
2013Q41,5074364541922,589
 Year4,5751,5061,4736538,207
2014Q11,0944223981652,079
2014Q21,3186275602152,720
2014Q31,4047166491632,932
2014Q41,7026036832103,198
 Year5,5182,3682,29075310,929
2015Q11,3713427421792,634
2015Q21,5704537462102,979
2015Q32,0333846701943,281
2015Q42,2454927302623,729
 Year7,2191,6712,88884512,623
2016Q11,9644095791983,150
2016Q22,3942865992073,486
2016Q32,5095086671903,874
2016Q43,0403987382374,413
 Year9,9071,6012,58383214,923
2017Q12,7753135922223,902
2017Q23,2953157242324,566
2017Q33,7862537292234,991
2017Q44,5792036592855,726
 Year14,4351,0842,70496219,185
2018Q13,4901765582334,457
2018Q24,4191856132435,640
2018Q34,6731876542255,739
Table 5 ESB by type of connections and NUTS3, Q3 2018
RegionNew dwelling completionsUFHDReconnectionNon-DwellingTotals
Border2742711424439
Dublin1,872157521,964
Mid-East9802072231,095
Midlands133135125222
Mid-West231167730354
South-East346239226487
South-West569377955740
West268369440438
Note: NUTS3 region based on substation of dwelling where available

Background Notes and Methodology

Scope and Background

The New Dwelling Completions series is produced by the CSO on a quarterly basis. A Housing Analytics Group (HAG) was established in 2017 by the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (DHPLG). This group, which met for the first time in May 2017, consists of representatives of bodies with a significant interest and role in housing, housing policy and related policy areas. 

The HAG focused on a review of housing related data published nationally and in particular on the number of dwellings built every year. Arising from the work of this group and other direct discussions between the CSO and DHPLG, a significant outcome was to assess the suitability of current housing indicators for estimating the number of new dwelling completions in Ireland.

Historically, the number of new dwellings built in Ireland, as published by the DHPLG, was based on the number of connections to the ESB Network. However, in recent years it became apparent that this series was overestimating the levels of new dwelling construction in Ireland. The New Dwelling Completions series will look to replace this and other available indicators of housing activity in Ireland. This series will include information on dwelling type, urban/rural location, activity by Local Authority and by Eircode Routing Key. It will continue to be based on domestic ESB connections but will correct for over-coverage by using additional information from ESB Networks and incorporating data from other sources. It also includes data on the number of reconnections and on houses from unfinished housing developments that are coming back into use. This will provide policy-makers with a valuable insight into the number of new dwellings available for occupation in the quarterly period concerned and also show data on the numbers of dwellings being constructed.

Geographic Split

The New Dwelling Completions data series is based on the number of new dwellings connected by the ESB Network to the electricity supply and may not accord precisely with Local Authority or Eircode Routing Key boundaries. The NDC series is split into counties and Eircode Routing Keys based on the information of the substation rather than the exact location of the dwelling. As Eircode becomes available as the unique identifier, it will replace the source of identifying the location of a new dwelling. 

The breakdown of ESB connections by type of connection and dwelling is based on NUTS3 regions as described below:

  • Border: Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan, Sligo
  • Dublin: all four local authorities within Dublin
  • Mid-East: Kildare, Louth, Meath, Wicklow
  • Midlands: Laois, Longford, Offaly, Westmeath
  • Mid-West: Clare, Limerick, Tipperary
  • South-East: Kilkenny, Waterford, Wexford
  • South-West: Cork City and County, Kerry
  • West: Galway City and County, Mayo, Roscommon

Classification

ESB connections are classified into four categories:

  • New dwelling completion: Recently constructed dwelling, where a dwelling is a self-contained unit of living accommodation.
  • Reconnection: A dwelling that has been reconnected to the ESB Network after a period of two years of disconnection.
  • UFHD: Connection to the ESB Network of previously completed dwellings in Unfinished/Ghost estates. A methodology was developed to identify houses which were complete in 2011 and were subsequently connected to the ESB Network. Although these dwellings may have required finishing to become available for use they are not new dwelling completions for the purposes of this publication. However, dwellings in Unfinished/Ghost estates which were not in a complete state in 2011 are included as new dwelling completions on connection to the ESB Network.
  • Non-dwelling: A building connected to the ESB Network through a domestic connection that is not constructed for residential use. 

The dwelling type is defined by the ESB Network and classified into three categories:

  • Single: If a single domestic dwelling or farm premises is to be connected to the ESB Network, Form NC21 must completed and the dwelling is defined as 'single'.
  • Scheme: If a new multi-unit development with two or more houses is to be connected to the ESB Network, Form NC12 must be completed and each dwelling is defined as 'scheme'. 
  • Apartment: If a new multi-unit development with two or more apartments is to be connected to the ESB Network, Form NC12 must be completed and each dwelling is defined as 'apartment'.

The classification of urban and rural dwellings is also defined by the ESB Network and based on the Distribution Use of System (DUoS) tariff, which is a fee that ESB Networks charge Electricity Suppliers for use of the Electricity Distribution System3

  • Urban: DUoS Group = DG1, urban domestic.
  • Rural: DUoS Group = DG2, rural domestic.

Coverage

Only domestic connections where a dwelling is a self-contained unit of living accommodation is included in the New Dwelling Completions series. Commercial properties, shared and communal living arrangements are excluded.

Data sources

The primary data source used for the New Dwellings Completions series is the ESB domestic connections dataset where the date that the connection is energised determines the date of completion. It is accepted that the ESB domestic connections dataset overestimates new dwellings and the CSO has adjusted for this overcount by using additional information from the ESB and other data sources. The ESB domestic connections dataset is matched by the CSO to Building Energy Rating (BER) data, compiled by the Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland (SEAI). Under Statutory Instrument (S.I.) No. 243 of 2012, all residential property for sale must disclose their BER assessment (with some very minor exceptions). The BER includes detailed information on the type of dwelling, the type of certificate (Provisional, Final, Existing) as well as the date of assessment and construction. As the collection, storage and maintenance of Eircode improves, other data sources can be further consulted to improve on the accuracy of the series.

Revisions

The New Dwelling Completions series is a new statistical product compiled from third party data sources. The series will be revised on an ongoing basis as more timely and accurate data sources become available and these data sources can be matched to the ESB new connections data set.


1 Form NC2: https://www.esbnetworks.ie/docs/default-source/publications/connection-to-a-single-domestic-dwelling-or-farm-premises-application-(nc2)-05-06-18.pdf?sfvrsn=a75c33f0_16

2 Form NC1: https://www.esbnetworks.ie/docs/default-source/publications/multi-unit-development-application-(nc1)-05-06-18.pdf?sfvrsn=7e4433f0_14

3 Rules for Application of DUoS Tariff Group: https://www.esbnetworks.ie/docs/default-source/publications/rules-for-application-of-duos-tariff-group.pdf?sfvrsn=a44b33f0_4


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