Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 September 2026
355. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has estimated the level of pent-up housing demand in the State; the current estimate of that demand; and the projected level of such demand to 2035. [66731/26]
View answerIncreasing the supply of new homes is critical to alleviating pressures in the housing market – in this regard, supply has increased significantly over recent years. Over the last five years, to end Q2 2026, more than 156,600 new homes have been delivered. This compares with 87,819 in the previous five-year period and just 29,855 in the five-years before that (Q2 2012 – Q2 2016).
Together with the significant potential in the delivery pipeline, this shows we are clearly on track and addressing the scaled up approach now required.
The Government's housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities, seeks to build on this momentum and deliver at least 300,000 new homes by 2030. The Government’s target is based on a realistic, broad assessment of the housing system, including factors such as population growth. As outlined in the plan, 300,000 homes is a baseline target, not a ceiling, and will be a cumulative result of the number of homes delivered during the lifetime of the plan.
Alongside this, the revised National Planning Framework (NPF) approved in April 2025 is a major step forward, and will help increase capacity and accelerate home building across the country. The revised NPF sets out the need to plan for approximately 50,000 additional households per annum to 2040, and this reflects Government’s commitment to accelerated growth in new homes as our population changes and further grows.
As part of the broader body of work undertaken to inform the First Revision to the NPF, the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) was engaged to provide updated population projections to 2040, based on demographic modelling, and having regard to the results of Census 2022 including fertility, mortality and migration trends. Under the baseline scenario, the research projects that the population of the State will increase to approximately 5.7 million people by 2030 and 6.1 million by 2040. This projection forms the central core trajectory of projected population growth and underpins the strategy set out in the First Revision to the NPF.
My Department continues to monitor factors that may impact the demand and supply of housing on an ongoing basis. As part of this, following the publication of the final results of Census 2027, there will be an opportunity to evaluate and consider a review of the National Planning Framework, including any associated updated housing requirements, in accordance with section 22 of the Planning and Development Act 2024.
The above actions are underpinned by the Government's National Development Plan, which commits €275 billion investment in infrastructure over the coming decade. The unprecedented level of investment Government have committed, will bring about a very significant scale up in the delivery of housing over the coming years.
