Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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88. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to give an update on commencement figures for the latest date possible. [37051/24]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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90. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of residential units commenced to date in Cavan in 2024; how this compares with the same timeframe in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36881/24]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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New home commencement activity increased significantly in 2023, with more than 32,800 new homes commenced, the highest annual figure for any calendar year in the last decade. This increase has been sustained into 2024, with almost 35,400 commencements between January and July, up 91% on the same period last year and exceeding the total of 2023 by 8%. Rolling 12-month commencements to the end of July were more than 49,600, up 72% year-on-year.

This uplift in commencement activity is being mirrored at local level across the country. For example, there were 370 new homes commenced in Cavan between January and July this year, the highest for this period since records began a decade ago and already up 49% on the total for 2023.

The introduction of the water connection fee refund and development levy waiver have undoubtedly accelerated new home building activity. As a result, the medium to long-term outlook is very positive, with the significant uplift in supply in 2022 and 2023 expected to be maintained this year and between 33,000 and 40,000 new homes completed. Moreover, any suggestion new home delivery has plateaued is premature, with commencement activity since May 2023 suggesting the substantial growth in completions of the last few years will continue in 2025 and beyond.