Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Let me give Sinn Féin some good news that the Senators can convey to their constituents in the party's next newsletter.

In terms of planning permission, as many as 16,375 new homes were granted in 12 months at the end of last year, which is an increase of 26%. In terms of commencement notices, as many as 14,192 notices for new homes nationwide were submitted up to March of this year, which is a 38% increase. House incompletions, as measured by the ESB and not the Government, showed that there were 15,684 homes across the country, which is a 20% increase on last year.