Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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25. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of new homes completed in the Athenry-Oranmore, Ballinasloe and Tuam local electoral areas in 2024; his expectations for 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12709/25]

Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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79. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of new homes completed in the Gort-Kinvara and Loughrea local electoral areas in 2024; his expectations for 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12710/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 25 and 79 together.

Increasing the supply of new homes is key to addressing many of the challenges in the housing market.

Supply has increased significantly in recent years, with some 125,000 new homes delivered since July 2020. This includes 92,500 homes delivered from 2022 to 2024, exceeding the combined target for new homes for the period by 5,500 or so homes.

This progress is mirrored across the country, with 1,244 homes completed in Galway City and County in 2024. Some 971 of these were delivered in Galway County, the highest level of delivery in the county since the CSO completions data series commenced in 2011.

This includes 109 new homes completed in Athenry-Oranmore, 201 new homes completed in Ballinasloe, and 172 new homes completed in Tuam. It also includes 180 new homes completed in Gort-Kinvara and 94 completed in Loughrea.

My department does not forecast new home completions for any given year.

That said, sectoral commentators have already forecast a wide range for home completions this year, with published forecasts of completions anywhere between from 32,000 to 40,000. The most recent narrative from the sector suggests new home delivery closer to the lower end of this range, though a more certain picture will only emerge towards the end of the year.

Government's focus is to build on the significant increase in delivery of the past three years, supporting the construction sector to ramp-up delivery further to meet the 60,000 new homes needed per year by 2030. While the revised targets are ambitious, Government believes they can be achieved with appropriately targeted measures. These measures include supports to grow the construction industry’s capacity year on year, helping establish a platform from which housing supply can be ramped-up to the higher levels needed.

The Programme for Government commits to introducing a new national housing plan to build on the successes of Housing for All. In addition to priority Programme for Government measures already being progressed, including the new Strategic Housing Activation Office, the plan will include a mix of pragmatic short-term and strategic long-term measures to boost and sustain delivery over the decade and beyond.

Pending completion of the plan, measures under Housing for All will continue to be progressed. These will support innovation in construction, improving the pace and efficiency of home building; increase the construction sector’s capacity to build housing at scale; increase the delivery of social and affordable homes; and, tackle vacancy and dereliction.