Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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654. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his views on recent reports of a slowing down of activity in residential construction during 2019. [43644/19]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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Increasing the supply of housing, private and public, is essential to address many of the core challenges in the housing sector. 

Housing supply lead indicators provide a basis for confidence that there will be continued expansion. The rolling annual total of planning permission for residential dwellings has exceeded 30,000 units for the first time since early 2010, up more than 21% year on year. There has been particularly strong growth in apartment planning permission, which is very welcome given the policy thrust toward more compact urban growth.

In the year to end June 2019, the number of new homes becoming available for use increased to 22,609. In the same period, the number of new homes in respect of which commencement notices were served reached 24,226, a 29% year on year increase.

Notwithstanding this evidence of strong output growth, the pace of delivery must be sustained over the coming years, and my Department will continue to monitor lead indicators and housing output accordingly.