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#Housing

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<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

Donal O'Keeffe examines addiction, homelessness and rough sleeping as calls grow for expanded support services across Cork city

<p>The National Housing System Overview told Mr Browne that because of the increase in commencement notices, it has 'become more difficult to predict the likely time lag between commencement and completion and therefore to forecast delivery'. File picture</p>

politics

Housing delivery forecasts becoming harder to predict, minister told

<p>Senator Laura Harmon, centre, with members of students' unions from across Ireland yesterday. Senator Harmon was holding up a copy of The Residential Tenancies (Student Rent) Bill 2026 which she published on Wednesday. Picture: Diane Cusack</p>

ourview

Irish Examiner view: Student accommodation crisis could limit third-level to the wealthy

Housing assistance payments

news

Simon Communities: Budget 2027 must raise Hap limits as use of the housing scheme falls

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

munster

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

Cork City social housing: On the edge of regeneration

spotlight

Cork City social housing: On the edge of regeneration

Cork City social housing: ‘I am so grateful to Cork City Council for our new home’

Cork City social housing: ‘I am so grateful to Cork City Council for our new home’

'My grandkids can play in the garden here and they couldn’t do that in Noonan’s Rd with the rats everywhere'

Wed, 05 Aug, 2026

Cork City Social Housing: 'We have vastly increased the housing supply in the city'

Cork City Social Housing: 'We have vastly increased the housing supply in the city'

Cork City Council’s second-in-command defends the council’s housing record and suggests changes to the way it delivers maintenance, and why a rent increase may be on the way for some of its thousands of social housing tenants

Wed, 05 Aug, 2026

Cork City is now Ireland's second-most expensive place to study

Cork City is now Ireland's second-most expensive place to study

Switcher.ie commercial director Eoin Clarke said: 'Accommodation continues to take one of the biggest bites out of student budgets.'

Wed, 05 Aug, 2026

The Deirdre O’Shaughnessy Podcast: Cork's social housing ranges from state-of-the-art to rat-infested

The Deirdre O’Shaughnessy Podcast: Cork's social housing ranges from state-of-the-art to rat-infested

This week the Irish Examiner is publishing an extensive investigation into Cork City Council's housing stock

Listen | Tue, 04 Aug, 2026

Cork City social housing: ‘The rats swim up the toilet bowl’ in Togher flats

Cork City social housing: ‘The rats swim up the toilet bowl’ in Togher flats

As well as the O’Byrne flats in Togher, council houses in Glenamoy Lawn, where councillor Ted Tynan used to live, have experienced decades of problems with cold, damp, mould, crumbling masonry, and rodent infestations

Tue, 04 Aug, 2026

Cork City social housing: ‘People in the Togher flats are in a bad way, living with mould, cold, rats’

Cork City social housing: ‘People in the Togher flats are in a bad way, living with mould, cold, rats’

In the second of a three-part series examining the provision of social housing in Cork, Donal O’Keeffe looks at some of Leeside’s worst estates, and talks to some of the public representatives calling for better homes for council tenants

Tue, 04 Aug, 2026

Cork City social housing: Noonan’s Rd flats riddled with mould and rodents

Cork City social housing: Noonan’s Rd flats riddled with mould and rodents

Just short of half of all tenants said that they had made complaints to Cork City Council and expressed extreme dissatisfaction with the response

Mon, 03 Aug, 2026

20% of Cork City Council's social housing budget spent on for-profit entities

20% of Cork City Council's social housing budget spent on for-profit entities

Under the Government's 2021’s Housing for All Plan, commitments were made to phase out long-term social housing lease schemes

Mon, 03 Aug, 2026

Cork City social housing: A history of building homes on Leeside

Cork City social housing: A history of building homes on Leeside

In the first of a three-part series, Donal O’Keeffe looks the history of council housing in the State’s second city

Mon, 03 Aug, 2026

Desperate Woman

Elaine Loughlin: Government U-turns favour business over workers, housing and climate action

Elaine Loughlin says the coalition has shifted priorities, favouring business interests over climate action, workers and vulnerable families

Sat, 01 Aug, 2026

Small sad boy looking through the window during Coronavirus isolation.

Homelessness reaches new record in Cork as national total rises to 17,482

New figures show homelessness continues to rise nationally, while Cork Simon says single adults are being overlooked in housing policy.

Fri, 31 Jul, 2026

Green light for biggest private housing development in Kenmare in 20 years

Green light for biggest private housing development in Kenmare in 20 years

An Coimisiún Pleanála has approved an 85-home development in Kenmare, the largest private residential scheme in the town for two decades, but construction cannot begin until a water connection is secured from Uisce Éireann

Fri, 31 Jul, 2026

Building stock

Housing completions decline following drop-off in apartments

While the overall numbers are strong for the first half of the year, they are still behind where the Government needs them to be to hit 2030 target of over 300,000 new homes

Thu, 30 Jul, 2026

Sold Sign

Value of land development transactions more than double to €239.1m

Land for residential use accounted for almost two-thirds of all transactions, report shows

Thu, 30 Jul, 2026

Mallorca Protest Against Overtourism on Spanish Island

EU will help cities curb Airbnb-style short-term lets

Ursula von der Leyen to announce measure as Brussels aims to tackle the problem of housing affordability and supply

Wed, 29 Jul, 2026

Close up on woman legs feet standing on the electric kick scooter on the pavement wearing jeans and sneakers in summer day

E-scooters: New helmet and hi-vis rules to go before Cabinet

Ministers will seek approval for tougher e-scooter regulations, including a higher minimum age, mandatory helmets and high-visibility clothing, and increased penalties for offences

Wed, 29 Jul, 2026

'Will I always be stuck in this shelter?': Homeless single adults in Cork say getting housing 'impossible'

'Will I always be stuck in this shelter?': Homeless single adults in Cork say getting housing 'impossible'

Cork Simon report sets out how single adults now make up more than 80% of the households in emergency accommodation in the region, and at the end of 2025, only 5% of them left homelessness for a home of their own

Wed, 29 Jul, 2026

Local authorities need to retrofit 5,000 social homes a year to meet climate targets, watchdog says

Local authorities need to retrofit 5,000 social homes a year to meet climate targets, watchdog says

Climate Change Advisory Council urges increased investment and faster roll-out in retrofitting, heat pumps, solar PV, and district heating to 'reduce emissions, improve comfort and health outcomes and to protect citizens against volatile energy costs'

Wed, 29 Jul, 2026

Three homes in Cork estate that have been vacant for almost two decades finally handed over to council

Three homes in Cork estate that have been vacant for almost two decades finally handed over to council

The houses, built as part of a private development in the mid-2000s but never occupied, remain empty despite remedial works beginning earlier this year

Tue, 28 Jul, 2026

Cork City Council spent €6.2m to get out of 24-house deal amid 'contractual dispute'

Cork City Council spent €6.2m to get out of 24-house deal amid 'contractual dispute'

Council insists the €6.2m payout saved the taxpayer from a much bigger claim, estimated to be in the region of €83m

Tue, 28 Jul, 2026

Housing Stock

Charities criticise delay in homelessness action plan

St Vincent de Paul's head of social justice and policy highlighted the 'trauma that children go through'

Tue, 28 Jul, 2026

Ireland's EU presidency must reclaim housing as a democratic project

Ireland's EU presidency must reclaim housing as a democratic project

Debate on housing and who has access to it is being rapidly filled by far-right extremists — Ireland can use this opportunity to shape an inclusive discourse, writes Valesca Lima

Tue, 28 Jul, 2026

First-time buyer mortgages hit record high in first half of the year — BPFI

First-time buyer mortgages hit record high in first half of the year — BPFI

21,232 mortgages were drawn down in Ireland in first six months of 2026, with a total value of €6.78bn — up 5.1% in volume and 9.6% in value year-on-year

Tue, 28 Jul, 2026

Unrecognizable couple arriving at the accommodation with their suitcases

Letting law delay after lobbying by Airbnb

Rules require anyone offering paid accommodation for more than 21 nights a year register with Fáilte Ireland

Mon, 27 Jul, 2026

Newlyweds cutting wedding cake

Colin Sheridan: How has the Government performed after 548 days in office?

Colin Sheridan argues governments should be judged by delivery, not promises, as key election commitments remain unmet

Sat, 25 Jul, 2026

Plans for 300 new homes in Douglas lodged with Cork City Council

Plans for 300 new homes in Douglas lodged with Cork City Council

Bridgewater Homes is seeking to build 210 houses and 90 apartments on land at Castletreasure

Fri, 24 Jul, 2026

A new wooden modular prefabricated house inside in manufacturing facility

Threshold warns Government's garden homes plan could weaken renters' rights

Charity says proposed planning exemptions could leave some renters without key legal protections or minimum housing standards

Thu, 23 Jul, 2026

Housing Infrastructure

'Local councillors will no longer be able to hide from decisions' – James Browne

Proposed Local Democracy Taskforce reforms include the creation of municipal councils and measures to allow councils become more financially independent

Wed, 22 Jul, 2026

Irish Government's Summer Economic Statement

Summer Economic Statement: Ministers won't have anything like €8.5bn for Budget 2027

Jack Chambers and Simon Harris will have €7bn to play with after €1.5bn in tax cuts. But much of it is already accounted for. And watch out for public sector pay demands, writes PAUL HOSFORD

Wed, 22 Jul, 2026

Spurred By Rising Prices, Phoenix Undergoes A New Housing Boom

Residential building up 27% but still not meeting demand

New report says highest proportion of residential buildings under construction in Dublin (6,107) and Cork (3,770)

Wed, 22 Jul, 2026

Building stock

Expanded CPO powers and wider role in home delivery planned for Land Development Agency

Plans would also allow up to 30% of homes in LDA developments in Dublin and Cork to be sold on the open market

Wed, 22 Jul, 2026

State supports are increasingly vital for new home buyers

Green light for 124 homes on former Cork Dell EMC site

O'Callaghan Properties-linked firm will see a range of apartments and duplexes

Fri, 17 Jul, 2026

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

Bid to determine 'appropriate rent' for residents at independent living facility

Bid to determine 'appropriate rent' for residents at independent living facility

Affordable housing charity has announced major hikes for tenants of Nazareth Village in Sligo

Tue, 14 Jul, 2026

ieExplains: New rules for modular homes published — here is what's changed

ieExplains: New rules for modular homes published — here is what's changed

Under the new rules, householders will be able to add a detached residential unit linked to the main house, without planning permission, provided it measures between 32sq m and 45sq m.

Tue, 14 Jul, 2026

Construction stock

Cork City Council rezones 260 hectares of land for housing despite strong local objections

Councillors voted against the plans for just one area of the city

Tue, 14 Jul, 2026

Modern tiny house with wooden and black metal facade, surrounded by greenery, lit by soft evening sunlight.

Small accessory homes: What Ireland can learn from Massachusetts

Massachusetts has recently introduced landmark legislation allowing people to build small secondary homes. Ireland's new housing policy could follow the US state's lead

Tue, 14 Jul, 2026

Cork club sells Carrigaline pitch to county council for €2.5m

S Cork club sells Carrigaline pitch to county council for €2.5m

The sale will unlock funds for Avondale United's new state-of-the-art facilities and pave the way for up to 70 homes

Thu, 09 Jul, 2026

Construction stock

Can the EU solve Ireland's housing crisis?

The EU's affordable housing plan calls for major reforms to State aid rules and simplification to make it easier for houses to be built. Actually getting more homes delivered, however, is down to the Irish Government

Thu, 09 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

'Societal response' required to fight epidemic of violence against women, says Taoiseach

'Societal response' required to fight epidemic of violence against women, says Taoiseach

The murder of US-born mother-of-one Jamey Carney in Killarney brings the number of women who died violently in 2026 to eight

Thu, 09 Jul, 2026

new houses

Housing completions expected to hit 40,000 this year

Construction activity on a 'very positive trajectory' but planning reform and infrastructure delivery key to maintaining momentum in the sector, report says

Thu, 09 Jul, 2026

House sales

Asking prices for homes continue to rise amid record number of rental terminations

Increase in rental terminations could see more homes come to the market for sale, according to Bank of Ireland's chief economist

Tue, 07 Jul, 2026

Government to ask civil servants to take more risks to progress critical infrastructure projects

Government to ask civil servants to take more risks to progress critical infrastructure projects

It means that public servants would be empowered to purchase land for the State before final approval for a project has been secured

Tue, 07 Jul, 2026