Housing commencements in Cork city for 2025 down 93%

New data has shown that 87% fewer housing projects have commenced building in Cork this year compared to this time last year.

Monthly data on the amount of commencement notices (residential construction starts) for February 2025 published by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage show that 73 homes commenced in Cork city and county last month.

This figure, made up of 10 in Cork city and 63 in Cork county is up from 41 cross both local authorities in January, but considerably lower than 455 cumulatively in February 2024.

In Cork city, only 30 homes have commenced this year, 20 in January and 10 in February, down 93% from this time last year when 443 homes had commenced.

A total of 4,584 homes commenced in Cork city in 2024, as well as 4,630 homes in Cork county.

The county is beginning the year significantly ahead of the city in terms of commencements, with 31 in January and 63 in February.

However, this total of 94 is again significantly below this time last year, an 84% fall from the end of February 2024 when 569 homes had commenced.

Cork city’s 30 homes so far this year include 12 in housing schemes, 16 in apartments and two-one off units, while Cork county’s 94 commencements include 40 one-off units, 54 in schemes and no apartments.

Across Ireland, 2,195 commencement notices have been issued so far this year, 1,178 in January and 1,017 in February, compared to 7,080 in 2024 (3,365 in January and 3,715 in February), representing a fall of 69%.

Nationally, there were 1,017 homes commenced in February, with 21% being scheme dwellings, 61% apartments and 18% one-off units.

Of all the homes commenced in February, 47% were in the four Dublin local authorities, with 44% in Dublin city alone.

Social Democrats TD for Cork South Central, Pádraig Rice, said the figures raise concerns about housing targets being met: “The commencement figures for February are deeply disappointing but reflective of this government’s inability to tackle the housing crisis.

“The figures for the beginning of 2025 show that the government’s staunch defence of its housing policy is just spin. On this trajectory, how can this government honestly expect to meet its own target of 41,000 completions?”

He added: “We know that commencement notices were so high in 2024 because of waivers on development levies and rebates on water charges. In the end, only 30,000 homes were delivered — a far cry from the 40,000 promised during the general election.”