Cork Housing Crisis

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#Cork Housing Crisis

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>According to the Central Statistics Office (CSO), there are more than 8,500 vacant homes across Cork City and county. File picture: iStock</p>

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Cork councils spend €40m to bring over 800 vacant properties back to use

Cork-based anti-dereliction campaigner Jude Sherry said a few tweaks to the process, such as staged payments, would improve the situation

<p class="contextmenu Body Body">The county development plan is allowing for up to 50,000 homes to be built up to 2034, with a minimum growth set at 38,370. File picture: Dan Linehan</p>

munster

120,000 jobs needed for Cork region to hit ‘critical mass’

<p>By 7am most mornings, there will be half a dozen people or more hanging around the Lapp’s Quay area, rough sleepers waiting for the homeless service’s day centre to open at 9am. Picture: Larry Cummins</p>

spotlight

Nowhere to go, nowhere to hide: The endless days on Cork city's streets

'A scary situation' for students looking for accommodation in Cork for academic year

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'A scary situation' for students looking for accommodation in Cork for academic year

Businessman giving a key and holding small house in hand.

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Higher rents under consideration for social housing residents in Cork City

Gates erected to prevent 'anti-social behaviour' on site earmarked for housing in Cork's northside

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Gates erected to prevent 'anti-social behaviour' on site earmarked for housing in Cork's northside

Engineering man showing blueprint detail for people buying house.

New cohousing community plan for Cork 'missing piece of the puzzle' to solve housing crisis

Cohousing Communities Ireland called on Government to establish a development fund to support “demonstrator” cohousing communities in Cork, Dublin, and Mayo

Tue, 14 Jul, 2026

Engineering man showing blueprint detail for people buying house.

Plans for almost 450 homes on Cork City's north side lodged with council

Murnane & O'Shea is seeking 10-year planning permission for 441 homes at Kilnap, Blackpool

Thu, 09 Jul, 2026

Glounthaune residents concerned village cannot support 1,000 extra homes

Glounthaune residents concerned village cannot support 1,000 extra homes

Members of the community association have warned that what they’re facing is unsustainable development as many of the roads in the area are dangerous

Sun, 05 Jul, 2026

Michael Moynihan: Do we care enough to stop flats being built on Bessborough babies' remains?

Michael Moynihan: Do we care enough to stop flats being built on Bessborough babies' remains?

Michael Moynihan contrasts the respect for the children and babies buried at Bessborough to that of the human remains found during building work five years ago elsewhere in Cork

Thu, 02 Jul, 2026

Plans for more than 260 new Cork City homes lodged with council

Plans for more than 260 new Cork City homes lodged with council

A mix of houses, apartments and duplexes is proposed for a more than 7-hectare site in Ballyvolane

Tue, 30 Jun, 2026

West Cork development site with full planning for 57 homes goes up for sale for €3.7m

S West Cork development site with full planning for 57 homes goes up for sale for €3.7m

Permission for the scheme — likely the largest residential development proposed for the village since before the 2008 financial crash — was granted last year

Thu, 25 Jun, 2026

Government agrees to proceed with Cork docklands redevelopment despite rising cost

Government agrees to proceed with Cork docklands redevelopment despite rising cost

It is the country’s largest urban regeneration project and is expected to be fully completed by 2038

Tue, 23 Jun, 2026

Housing Infrastructure

Cork housing boost as €50m investment to open land for 10,000 homes

Infrastructure funding for four projects aims to accelerate housing delivery across key growth areas in Cork

Tue, 16 Jun, 2026

Uisce Éireann's upgrade has 'stunted' Dunmanway's housing supply, councillors told

Uisce Éireann's upgrade has 'stunted' Dunmanway's housing supply, councillors told

One councillor said the situation highlighted why water services should never have been removed from local authority control

Fri, 12 Jun, 2026

O'Flynn Group to lodge fresh plans for Ballincollig housing scheme seeking larger development of 159 homes

O'Flynn Group to lodge fresh plans for Ballincollig housing scheme seeking larger development of 159 homes

CEO and chairman of the property giant Michael O'Flynn said the scheme will be larger and denser than the original plans

Tue, 09 Jun, 2026

Property

Cork among worst performers as social housing inspections fall far behind Government targets

Just 15,317 social homes have been surveyed nationwide despite ambitious plans to inspect every property

Sat, 30 May, 2026

Susie Horgan elected Cork Chamber president

Susie Horgan elected Cork Chamber president

Springboard Communications MD firmly places infrastructure — housing and transport — at the top of the agenda for a city that she says contributes 19% of Ireland's GDP

Mon, 25 May, 2026

Man lying on sofa with feet up on armrest

Cork homelessness figures do not capture scale of problem, new research shows

Cork Simon spokesperson said: 'The man living in a broken-down car may never be encountered during a street count. The woman moving between the sofas of friends and family does not appear in any official figure'

Wed, 29 Apr, 2026

Shed laws: We can't allow the creation of a shadow back garden rental market

Shed laws: We can't allow the creation of a shadow back garden rental market

bad actors will exploit any loophole they are given, and this proposal risks handing them a significant one, writes Labour TD Conor Sheehan

Fri, 24 Apr, 2026

Number of properties to rent through HAP more than halved since December

Number of properties to rent through HAP more than halved since December

Under the HAP scheme, people are allowed to source private rented accommodation for which the rent is paid by their local council

Thu, 23 Apr, 2026

High property prices and rents squeezing middle-income earners out of Kinsale, says councillor

High property prices and rents squeezing middle-income earners out of Kinsale, says councillor

Cork County Council heard rents in the seaside town were at 'South Dublin levels' and were out of reach of all but the most affluent

Wed, 22 Apr, 2026

Cork City Council identifies 670 acres for housing expansion

Cork City Council identifies 670 acres for housing expansion

Focus is understood to be on lands bordering the proposed Northern Distributor Road, particularly on the northside of the city

Wed, 15 Apr, 2026

Audit finds Cork council bought 15 homes for 'significantly' more than their guideline price

Audit finds Cork council bought 15 homes for 'significantly' more than their guideline price

Cork City Council’s chief executive said it was necessary to rescue the site from dereliction and anti-social behaviour

Fri, 10 Apr, 2026

Cork City Council to develop 138 homes at site of former Blarney Park Hotel

Cork City Council to develop 138 homes at site of former Blarney Park Hotel

A civic centre is included in the plan, incorporating a public library, community café and a creche for 32 children

Sun, 22 Mar, 2026

'People are dying': Urgent appeal to move Cork residents from 'damp, rat-infested' apartments

'People are dying': Urgent appeal to move Cork residents from 'damp, rat-infested' apartments

Cork City councillor Albert Deasy said it was 'inhumane' to leave people in these homes

Tue, 10 Mar, 2026

Cork neighbours falling out over parking as housing shortage forces adult children to live at home

Cork neighbours falling out over parking as housing shortage forces adult children to live at home

North Cork councillors are asking if green areas in the housing estates could be removed and utilised for more parking spaces

Mon, 23 Feb, 2026

Future Cork: Is the city ready to enter the 21st century?

Future Cork: Is the city ready to enter the 21st century?

Five years into our 10-year vision for the city, there has been real progress but the biggest eyesores remain, while city centre green space has been decimated, write Jude Sherry and Frank O'Connor

Sun, 22 Feb, 2026

Cork council to encourage 'co-living' for like-minded single people after pilot project success

Cork council to encourage 'co-living' for like-minded single people after pilot project success

The advantages of the scheme is that it gets more single people into one house, rather than having to provide them with single units, and the occupants are not socially isolated and can share bills

Thu, 19 Feb, 2026

broken leaking copper water pipe

North Cork village faces housing growth with ‘nightmare’ water supply dating back 50 years

Residents warn new housing will worsen chronic water outages as Uisce Éireann says funding is unavailable for pipe replacement

Sun, 04 Jan, 2026

Cork teenage housing charity volunteers to carry coffin of SHARE user to fulfil his dying wish

Cork teenage housing charity volunteers to carry coffin of SHARE user to fulfil his dying wish

The native of the Black Mountains in Wales was without family in this country but had a large circle of friends

Fri, 12 Dec, 2025

Estate Agents Signage

Lack of transparency sowing mistrust in property agents, report finds

A new report finds homebuyers routinely pay far above asking amid opaque bidding and a property market starved of transparency

Mon, 08 Dec, 2025

Cork council reassigns staff to deal with demand for grants to do up vacant, derelict buildings

Cork council reassigns staff to deal with demand for grants to do up vacant, derelict buildings

Approximately 1,450 people have applied so far for the grants in the county and 282 of them have been approved with a total payout of €15.4m

Fri, 21 Nov, 2025

Cork council to spend €1.425bn on major projects over three years with main focus on housing

Cork council to spend €1.425bn on major projects over three years with main focus on housing

Cork County Council bosses say they recognise housing remains a key challenge and this is why 39% of money, €563.8m, in the three-year plan is being allocated to it

Sun, 16 Nov, 2025

Planning board refuses 140 new homes on site overlooking Blarney Castle due to traffic hazard

Planning board refuses 140 new homes on site overlooking Blarney Castle due to traffic hazard

The commission found that the developer, Eoin Sheehan, had also provided inadequate justification for the type of housing mix proposed

Fri, 14 Nov, 2025

Cork City Council increases budget for 2026 to €362.2m

Cork City Council increases budget for 2026 to €362.2m

Councillors also agreed a 5% increase in commercial rates — but will reintroduce rebates of up to 4% for qualifying ratepayers

Wed, 12 Nov, 2025

Planning granted for Cork Magdalene laundry site to become student housing

Planning granted for Cork Magdalene laundry site to become student housing

An Coimisiún Pleanála has upheld approval for a 957-bed student complex at Cork’s former Good Shepherd Convent, with strict historical safeguards

Wed, 12 Nov, 2025

Tenancy Agreement

More than 40% of tenants in Cork at risk of poverty after paying rent, study reveals

Risk of poverty once rent is paid rises to 57% for those receiving Housing Assistance Payment

Wed, 05 Nov, 2025

Rising number of pets handed into rescue centres by people on Cork's housing waiting list

Rising number of pets handed into rescue centres by people on Cork's housing waiting list

Pets are being surrendered because the housing list applicants are not allowed to keep them

Mon, 27 Oct, 2025

Plans revealed for new 16-storey apartment block near Cork’s Elysian Tower

Plans revealed for new 16-storey apartment block near Cork’s Elysian Tower

Virtual images reveal a striking 16-storey apartment block proposed for Cork’s Anglesea Terrace, part of a major city housing partnership

Fri, 24 Oct, 2025

Sad woman

Homeless Cork woman allegedly sexually abused by father told she can live with parents

The woman, who is now aged in her 40s, was told she did not qualify for emergency accommodation

Mon, 29 Sep, 2025

Glenveagh: Cork 'no exception' to Ireland’s serviced land shortage crisis

Glenveagh: Cork 'no exception' to Ireland’s serviced land shortage crisis

Glenveagh’s profits have more than doubled in 2025, but its CEO warns zoning and infrastructure block Ireland’s housing goals

Sat, 27 Sep, 2025

Coronavirus - Mon May 18, 2020

Council says it can provide expertise to Cork developers to build wastewater treatment plants

Council said there are areas around the county where such pilot schemes would work and boost housing stock

Thu, 11 Sep, 2025

Spurred By Rising Prices, Phoenix Undergoes A New Housing Boom

Plans lodged for 246 new homes and creche near Bishopstown in Cork

Bridgewater Homes has applied to build 143 houses, 103 apartments and a large creche at Waterfall Road, Bishopstown.

Wed, 10 Sep, 2025

Housing crisis not just a social issue, it's a business one, says Cork Business Association

Housing crisis not just a social issue, it's a business one, says Cork Business Association

The Cork Business Association discussed removing the barriers to housing supply

Fri, 05 Sep, 2025

Coronavirus - Mon May 18, 2020

Plans for almost 470 homes in Mallow approved despite concerns over infrastructure

Plans provide for a mix of 305 detached and semi-detached houses, townhouses and bungalows and 164 apartments and duplex units

Wed, 03 Sep, 2025

Cork City Council seeks tenders for €15m Docklands road upgrade

Cork City Council seeks tenders for €15m Docklands road upgrade

Cork City Council tenders €15m Docklands road scheme to improve transport, unlock regeneration, and pave way for housing and jobs

Wed, 20 Aug, 2025

Cork council needs to increase spending by €236m to deliver key projects

Cork council needs to increase spending by €236m to deliver key projects

Increase in expenditure needed to build more capital projects, mainly focused on infrastructure investment and major house-building projects, officials say

Mon, 04 Aug, 2025

Close-up Of Engineer Hand Drawing Plan On Blue Print with architect equipment,architectural plan, sketching a construction proje

Developers seek to build over 100 new apartments on site in the north of Cork City

Cork City Council has said it will make its decision on the planning application by September 22

Mon, 04 Aug, 2025

'Not fit for purpose': Cork’s N25 slammed as unsafe with 5,000 homes now at risk

'Not fit for purpose': Cork’s N25 slammed as unsafe with 5,000 homes now at risk

Officials warn lives, traffic, and housing plans are at risk as East Cork’s critical N25 road remains dangerously underfunded

Thu, 24 Jul, 2025