February sees record 3,699 new housing starts

An internal Government memo to Minister for Finance Michael McGrath shows a requirement to bulld 50,000 homes per year.

The number of residential construction starts reached a February record of 3,699, new data from the Department of Housing shows.

The figure represents an 85% increase on the 1,997 units which began construction in the same month last year. Of the 3,699 units commenced, 60% are scheme dwellings, 29% are apartments and 11% are for one-off units. It also brings to more than 7,000 the number of new dwellings to see construction begin in January and February.