By John Burns

Copyright independent

While planning permission figures are only one indication of future building activity, this represents bad news for the Government, as it chases a target of providing over 300,000 new homes by the end of 2030.

Across the four local authorities of Dublin, the number of houses that got planning approval was down by 45pc year-on-year, from 1,062 to 583.

The number of apartments getting planning permission in the capital fell by 30pc, from 1,754 to 1,233.

Nationally, there was a 12.5pc annual decrease in the total number of dwelling units approved between April and June this year. It fell from 8,531 in the same period last year to 7,447.

While the number of houses getting approval was down 6.4pc, there was a particularly precipitous fall in the number of apartments approved – down by 21.4pc.

James Browne, the Minister for Housing, has changed the regulations around building apartments in a bid to encourage private investors back into the sector. He issued new design standards, including reducing the minimum size allowed. They can now be as small as 32 square meters.

Restrictions on the mix of apartment sizes in new developments have been relaxed. The Department of Housing has said the changes should result in a saving of between €50,000 and €100,000 in the cost of building an average apartment.

The changes have made no immediate difference to apartment building. The number of planning approvals, at 2,725 in Q2, is the lowest level in seven years.

Shane O’Sullivan, a statistician in the Housing Division of the CSO, said: “The number of apartments approved decreased by 21.4pc when compared with Q2 2024. The number of houses approved fell by 6.4pc over the same period.

“There was an annual decline of 12.5pc in the total number of dwelling unit approvals in Q2, following an annual fall of 2.5pc in the first quarter of 2025.”

While there is no direct co-relation between grants of planning permission and housing completions, the latest data puts the Government’s medium-term targets in doubt. It is aiming to build 43,000 new units next year and a further 48,000 in 2027.

Today’s News in 90 Seconds – September 16th

Dublin had the highest number of apartment units granted planning permission in the second quarter at 1,233, or 45pc of the total. The county accounted for 12pc of housing units approved.

The Mid-East region – Louth, Kildare, Meath, and Wicklow – accounted for the highest number of houses granted planning, standing at 893, while the Mid-West region – Clare, Limerick, and Tipperary – recorded the lowest, at 247.

In terms of individual applications for planning permission, there were 1,536 granted for new construction dwellings, and 2,105 for other new constructions. Some 2,096 were for extensions, and another 1,321 were for alterations and conversions.

The new figures follow Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s criticism of local authorities for “inertia” on housing. Mr Martin said he was “shocked” to hear that Wicklow County Council intends to dezone land for housing, and warned that his government would “intervene” to stop this happening.