14,000 housing units to be built this year - but we need 25,000, says Property Industry Ireland

Some 14,000 housing units will be completed by the end of the year.

Property Industry Ireland (PII), which is today launching the latest edition of Property Watch, said Budget 2017 must build on the positive work of the Housing Action Plan.

The latest report shows housing completions are up 17% year on year while new housing commencements are up 33%.

Chairman of PII Tom Phillips said: "We need to be building 25,000 at least per annum, but we're only building 14,000.

"Of those 14,000 about 40% are one-off houses. We need to have an ambitious budget that matches the ambition of the (Housing) Action Plan."