Development must be encouraged to fix housing crisis

Residential Zoned Land Tax – a help or a hindrance?

Ireland’s housing shortage is well documented, and it is universally accepted that we need to dramatically increase our housing output, and quickly. As reported by the CSO in January, it is very disappointing that just over 30,000 homes completed in 2024, a decrease on the 32,695 units delivered in 2023 and some way short of the 40,000 projected pre-November election. In a local context, Cork City and County attributed to a combined 3,554 new completions in 2024, a slight increase from an already low base of 3,102 units in 2023. It is also worth noting that of the 30,000 homes completed, only a third were available for sale in the private market.

The new Programme for Government contains a mixed bag of proposals and recommendations, all with a view of ramping up the sector to build over 300,000 new homes by the end of 2030, to fall in line with the revised housing targets. This indicates the need to increase our housing output from 30,000 to 50,000 units a year, every year for six consecutive years. No easy feat given the record in recent years.