Sod turned on first phase of 1,090 unit Cork housing development

Taoiseach Micheál Martin yesterday joined the Lord Mayor of Cork and Cork property developer Michael O’Flynn to turn the sod on the first phase of the O’Flynn Group’s Dunkettle housing scheme.

The first phase comprises 550 homes, a creche, and a neighbourhood centre, and is part of a larger development of 1,090 homes planned for the Dunkettle site. The first release of homes, comprising 40 units, is a mix of two-, three-, and four-bedroom terraced and semi-detached homes, and is already sold out.

Those first homes will be occupied by early 2027, with planning for the second phase due to be lodged this summer, Mr O’Flynn said.

Speaking at the launch, the Taoiseach said the delivery of new homes was a clear priority for Government, and this development would provide a substantial number of houses for Cork city.

“We need schemes of scale. I’m very happy to be here, because housing is a number one issue, and Michael has been a very strong advocate for the construction industry,” he said. 

“Our population is growing dramatically; since the 1990s, our population has grown by 52%, and it continues to grow.

“Therefore, we need to provide housing. It’s the biggest social issue facing our people, and to have proper social cohesion, people need a stake in society, people need houses that they can afford to buy or that they can afford to rent.

“Last year, about 36,000 houses were built, and we hopefully will increase on that this year, but we need to get to 50,000 per annum on a sustained basis over the next decade,” Mr Martin added.

“We need housing at scale. We need projects at scale, and that’s why this scheme is very, very important.”

Fianna Fáil councillor Fergal Dennehy, Lord Mayor of Cork, noted that Mr O’Flynn had purchased the Dunkettle land in 2003, when Mr Dennehy first began in politics. Mr O’Flynn replied that Fine Gael TD Colm Burke had been lord mayor that year, and Mr Burke was among those joining yesterday’s ceremony.