Dublin accounted for 67% of all apartment completions in Ireland during the third quarter of 2026, while the West recorded the strongest regional increase in new homes.
However, housing delivery declined in the Mid-West and Border regions, highlighting significant differences in construction activity across the country.
Housing construction in Ireland is increasing, but the latest figures show that new homes are not being delivered evenly across the country, with Dublin continuing to dominate apartment construction.
New figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show that 2,311 apartments were completed in Dublin between July and September 2026, representing 67% of all apartment completions nationally.
The figures form part of the CSO’s New Dwelling Completions release for the third quarter of 2026, which recorded 10,154 completed homes across Ireland. This represented an increase of 10.4% compared with the same period in 2025.
While national housing output increased, the regional breakdown reveals considerable differences in where new homes are being delivered and which types of housing are being built.
Dublin remains the centre of apartment construction
Dublin accounted for approximately two out of every three apartments completed in Ireland during the third quarter.
Of the 3,464 apartments completed nationally, 2,311 were located in the capital.
Apartment construction was particularly concentrated in Dublin City, where apartments represented 87% of all new dwelling completions during the quarter.
The figures demonstrate the importance of Dublin to Ireland’s apartment supply, particularly as apartments form a significant part of new housing delivery in urban areas.
However, the concentration of apartment construction in the capital also highlights the differences between Dublin and other parts of the country in the type of housing being delivered.
West records strongest increase in housing completions
Outside Dublin, the West recorded the largest relative increase in new dwelling completions.
The region, comprising Galway, Mayo and Roscommon, experienced a 33% increase in completions during the third quarter of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025.
The South-East, covering Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford and Wexford, recorded the second-largest increase, with completions rising by 24%.
The West also recorded the highest number of single dwelling completions, with 277 homes finished during the quarter.
These figures show that housing construction increased substantially in both regions, although percentage growth needs to be considered alongside the total number of homes delivered.
The West’s strong growth rate does not mean it delivered more homes than the larger housing markets of Dublin or the South-West.
Mid-West and Border regions record declines
Not all parts of Ireland experienced an increase in housing completions.
The Mid-West, comprising Clare, Limerick and Tipperary, recorded an 8% decline compared with the third quarter of 2025.
The Border region, covering Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan and Sligo, experienced a 6% decrease.
These were the only two of Ireland’s eight regions to record annual declines in completions during the quarter.
The figures highlight the uneven geographical pattern of housing delivery. While some regions recorded substantial growth, others experienced a reduction in the number of homes completed.
However, one quarter of data does not establish whether these regional differences represent longer-term trends.
Clondalkin records the highest number of local completions
At local level, Clondalkin in County Dublin recorded the highest number of new dwelling completions among Local Electoral Areas during the third quarter.
A total of 476 homes were completed in the area between July and September 2026.
The CSO’s local breakdown provides a more detailed picture of housing delivery than national and regional totals alone, identifying the areas where completed homes are most concentrated.
It also demonstrates that housing construction is not distributed evenly within individual regions, with some local areas recording considerably more completions than others.
More than 90% of scheme homes completed in urban locations
The CSO’s six-way urban and rural classification provides another perspective on where new residential developments are taking place.
More than 90% of scheme dwelling completions during the third quarter were located in cities, satellite urban towns or independent urban towns.
This indicates that large-scale scheme housing construction is heavily concentrated in urban and town settings.
The classification distinguishes between different types of urban settlements and rural locations, helping to explain the geographical pattern of new housing beyond the broader regional figures.
It also highlights the different locations in which housing types are being delivered, with apartments concentrated in urban areas and single dwellings more widely distributed across rural locations.
What the figures reveal about Ireland’s housing distribution
The latest CSO data shows that Ireland’s housing completions are increasing, but the geographical distribution of new homes remains uneven.
Dublin continues to dominate apartment construction, accounting for 67% of national completions in that category, while the West and South-East recorded the strongest regional increases.
At the same time, the declines in the Mid-West and Border regions raise questions about the consistency of housing delivery across different parts of Ireland.
The concentration of apartment completions in Dublin and scheme housing in urban locations also highlights the importance of examining not only how many homes are being built, but where they are being delivered and what types of housing are becoming available.
The CSO figures provide a snapshot of completed homes during one quarter. They do not measure housing need in each region or establish whether the number of homes being delivered is sufficient for local populations.
Further data on population growth, household formation and regional housing requirements will be important in assessing whether new housing supply is reaching the areas where it is needed.
Future quarterly figures will also help establish whether the regional differences recorded in 2026 continue into the coming years.
