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From:Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The latest figures released today by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage show that3,880 new homeswere commenced in August –an increase of 231%compared to August 2025, when 1,172 new homes were commenced.

This brings the total number of new homes commenced since the start of the year to22,854, up 162% from the 8,711 homes commenced in the first eight months of 2025.

The positive momentum observed in the first eight months of this year builds on strong figures for 2024 and 2025 where, combined, a total of 85,723 new homes were commenced, an increase of 43% compared with the combined total for the previous two-year period (2022 and 2023).

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne TD, welcomed the latest figures:

“The momentum in new home starts continues apace and reflects the many positive changes we have made to create an enabling environment for building new homes. The growth in commencements is also echoed in the latest CSO data on planning permissions, also published today. They show an increase of 60% in the total number of dwelling units approved in Q2 2026 to 11,912 units, up from 7,447 units when compared with Q2 2025 and the highest number of units approved since Q4 2021.

“Ultimately, final completions are the real measure of delivery – when those keys are in the hands of a homeowner or a family supported with housing - but commencement rates and planning permissions indicate a direction of travel and the continuation of an on-going and sustainable pipeline for new homes. On that basis, today’s figures are very welcome.”

Of the 3,880 units commenced in August, 1,356 (35%) are scheme dwellings, 2,155 (55%) are apartments and 369 (10%) are for one-off units. By Local Authority, the most units commenced were in Dun-Laoghaire Rathdown (1,053), followed by Dublin City (411) and Fingal County (403).

Single dwellings are one-off dwellings.

Scheme dwellings are houses that form part of a multi-unit development.

Apartment dwellings are within a multi-unit development and are recorded as apartment units in the Building Control Management System (BCMS).

Further information on the commencement data for July and the first seven months of 2026 can be found on the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage website:

https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/publications/august-commencements-2026/