In this article we cover:

  • One-off house completions rose by almost 28 percent in Q1 2026
  • Single dwellings made up 18 percent of all new homes completed
  • Overall home completions reached their highest first-quarter level since the financial crash
  • The West recorded the highest number of one-off home completions
  • Cork County led local authorities for one-off dwelling completions
  • Bank of Ireland expects stronger housing output in 2026
  • Minister says housing delivery is continuing to move in the right direction

New figures from the Central Statistics Office show that 1,419 single dwellings were completed between January and March, up 27.8 percent on the same period last year.

One-off houses made up 18 percent of all new homes completed in the quarter.

In total, 7,856 new homes were completed in Q1 2026. That was an increase of 32.9 percent year-on-year and the highest number of Q1 completions since the financial crash.

Scheme houses continued to account for the largest share of new homes, with 4,082 completions, or 52 percent of the total. Apartments made up a further 2,355 completions, or 30 percent. The rise in single dwellings also highlights the continuing role of one-off housing in overall supply.

Completions were up in every region of the country. The Border region recorded the largest increase, with completions rising by 58 percent compared with the first quarter of 2025.

For single or one-off homes, the West region, covering Galway city, Galway county, Mayo and Roscommon, had the highest number of completions, at 232. Cork County recorded the highest number among local authorities, with 146 one-off dwelling completions.

Bank of Ireland chief economist Conall Mac Coille said the strong rise in completions, including a sharp increase in one-off homes, means the bank now expects to revise up its forecast for overall completions in 2026 to around 40,000, from 37,500.

“Especially encouraging is that the pick-up has been broad-based, not only reflecting volatile, lumpy apartment completions.” Mac Coille told the Irish Independent.   

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne welcomed the figures, saying the delivery of almost 8,000 new homes in the first quarter showed that “the pace of homebuilding continues to move in the right direction”.

He said the record first-quarter completions, together with more than 8,400 new homes starting construction during the same period, demonstrated “real and sustained progress”.

“While the data and numbers are encouraging, the human impact is even more significant,” Browne said. “Each of these new homes makes a meaningful and lasting difference in people’s lives, giving individuals and families a secure place to live and the stability to plan for the future.”

The minister said the Government was focused on maintaining progress and ensuring continued growth in housing supply.

Housing completions usually pick up as the year progresses, with the first quarter typically accounting for between one-sixth and one-fifth of annual completions. The strong start to 2026 suggests the full-year figures could be significantly ahead of last year.