Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The quarter-on-quarter comparisons are a valuable way of looking at this issue, particularly because building is affected by the climate. That is one of the reasons the task force report makes such comparisons. It is a concern that the total level of construction in the city of Dublin, where housing need is greatest, is 50% lower than it was this time last year. I am not clear on why that reduction is the case. Rather than dismissing the question, it would be better for the Minister to give us an explanation, if he has one, of why there has been such a dramatic reduction by comparison with the same quarter in the previous year. It is clear from the CSO figures that the total number of completions did not increase significantly in the third quarter of 2018 by comparison with the third quarter of 2017. The number of units was 900 in each year. While 900 extra homes is welcome, I do not think the Minister can call it "dramatic". I will ask the same question again. Is the Minister concerned about the central figure which shows that the total level of construction of new homes in Dublin city was 50% lower in the third quarter of last year than it was in the same quarter the previous year? The year-on-year reduction in the Dublin region as a whole was 20%. Does he have an explanation for that? Is he confident that the drop in total construction is a one-off? Is he confident that when we see the figures for the fourth quarter, we will see a levelling off or possibly an increase?

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