It is frustrating to read in the Irish Times this week about the fall in the number of planning permissions in Ireland. The backdrop to this is that Ireland is already falling short on new builds coming on to the market. There were 30,330 new homes built in 2024 in Dublin, marking a 6.7% decrease compared to 2023.
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) report planning permissions fell by 21.4 per cent nationally in 2024. Just 32,401 units were given planning permission compared with 41,225 in 2023.
Dublin was especially affected. Hunters Estate Agents is very active in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown where permissions we down by 55%. The same drop was reported in Dublin City Council. It was 61% in Fingal County Council, and 19.1% in South Dublin County Council. This constrains the supply of new homes on to the market.
As demand for housing continues to rise—driven by population growth, urbanization, and economic recovery—the limited issuance of planning permissions restricts the ability of developers to respond to this demand. This mismatch exacerbates housing shortages, particularly in urban areas like Dublin, where the need is greatest.
Addressing this issue requires planning reform to streamline approvals, reduce delays, and encourage the construction of high-density, affordable housing in key areas. Without such changes, the housing crisis in Ireland is likely to persist or worsen, limiting economic growth and social stability.
To address the low rate of planning permission approvals, the Irish government needs to take a multi-pronged, strategic approach focused on reform, transparency, and efficiency. They need to make urgent improvements to the system to allow for growth.
Improve Zoning and Land Use Policies: Ensure that more land is zoned for residential development, particularly in high-demand urban areas, and promote high-density, sustainable housing near public transport.
Reform the Planning and Development Act: Introduce legislative changes to reduce unnecessary delays, prevent excessive judicial reviews, and limit vexatious objections that stall critical housing developments.
Streamline the Planning Process: Simplify and accelerate the approval process by reducing bureaucracy, digitising systems, and setting clear, time-bound targets for decision-making at local and national levels.
By implementing these changes, the government can unlock the housing supply pipeline and move closer to solving the housing crisis.
