Donegal sees surge in new home completions
Housing completions in the county in January, February and March rose by 95% on last year and have reached a record high
A record number of new homes were completed in Donegal in the first three months of the year, data published by the Central Statistics Office has revealed.
According to the report, the number of new dwelling completions almost doubled from 118 homes in the first quarter of 2025 to 230 new homes in the first quarter of 2026. This 95% increase represents the highest number of completions in the months of January, February and March in Donegal since the CSO began collecting the data in 2011.
House completions in the county are running ahead of the national average. Nationally, there were 7,856 new dwelling completions, a rise of a third on the same three months of 2025, and that was also the highest number of Q1 completions since the series began in 2011.
The Department of Housing says the first quarter is usually the quietest period of the year, accounting for just over 15% of annual completions, and the record start augurs well for the rest of the year.
“The CSO data showing record new housing delivery in the first quarter of the year, both in Donegal as well as nationally, confirms that the pace of homebuilding continues to move in the right direction,” Minister for Housing James Browne said. “This record level of completions, combined with more than 8,400 new homes starting construction across the country during the same period, demonstrates real and sustained progress.
“This momentum is reinforced by other encouraging signs across the sector, including strong first-time buyer mortgage drawdowns, record levels of social housing delivery, and robust planning permission activity.
“While the data and numbers are encouraging, the human impact is even more significant. Each of these new homes makes a meaningful and lasting difference in people’s lives, giving individuals and families a secure place to live and the stability to plan for the future.
“This Government is focused on maintaining this progress, making whatever changes are necessary and pushing forward to ensure continued growth in housing supply for all those who need it.”