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The number of new dwellings completed in 2022 reached 29,851, according to new figures from the Central Statistics Office today.

The CSO said this represents an increase of 45.2% on the numbers completed in 2021 and an increase of 41.3% on the numbers completed in 2019 – pre-pandemic.

A total of 9,166 apartments were completed last year, an increase of 78.7%. According to the CSO, this is more apartments than were built in 2020 and 2021 combined.

Houses built as part of a scheme rose by 41.9% to 15,163 while one off houses rose by 16.6% to 5,522.

This means just over half of all units completed last year were in schemes, just over 30% were apartments and 18.5% were one-off houses.

A total of 9,148 units were completed in the final three months of 2022, an increase of 31.4% on the same period in 2021.

Today’s CSO figures show that almost 60% of units were built in Dublin or the Mid-East region, which includes counties Kildare, Louth, Meath and Wicklow.

By Local Electoral Area, Killiney-Shankill in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown had the most units completed with 1,070 followed by Dublin North Inner City at 817 and Glencullen-Sandyford, also in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, at 757.

The biggest number of apartments (3,609) were built in Dublin City, while most scheme houses were built in Kildare (2,075) and Cork had the most one-off houses (689).

Units are also getting smaller.

In 2018, the estimated average dwelling size for a one-off house was 229 square metres. Last year, this had fallen to 220 square metres.

The average scheme house was 127 square metres five years ago, but last year this had shrunk to 118 square metres.

Apartments shrank from 83 square metres in 2018 to an average 75 square metres in 2022.

The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O’Brien noted that the total of 2022 is the highest annual total since the CSO data series began in 2011.

Housing for All, the Government’s housing plan, had a target of 24,600 new homes in 2022.

Minister O’Brien said today’s CSO figures show that supply is increasing and that the country is going in the right direction.

“The Government has met and exceeded its overall housing target for the first year of Housing for All and it is encouraging to see the highest level of housing delivery in over a decade despite unforeseen challenges like high construction cost inflation due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine,” Mr O’Brien said.

“Increasing supply is central to ensuring people can access affordable housing and that our housing market functions more effectively,” he added.

But he said that while today’s news is positive, the Government recognises that it needs to continue ramping up supply and to meet even higher targets.

Property Industry Ireland said the figures show that there had been a significant upscaling in output, despite challenges to viability.

“At the moment it looks like 2023 will be a more challenging year for new home building,” Director of Property Industry Ireland, Dr David Duffy said.

“New home commencement data show a decline in 2022 when compared with 2021. High input and funding costs are negatively impacting on viability and delivery, particularly for apartments.”

He added that the data suggests the Housing For All targets for the next couple of years could be more difficult to achieve.

“Growing the collaboration between the public and private sectors, such as the recent Housing for All stakeholder conference, to address the different viability challenges and barriers to supply is important,” he said.

Article Source: Almost 30,000 new home completions in 2022 – CSO – Robert Shortt – RTE

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