More than 9,000 new social homes built last year, Housing Minister says

By Gráinne Ní Aodha, Press Association

There were just over 9,000 social homes built in Ireland last year as the opposition accused the Government of “missing” a housing target.

Housing Minister James Browne told the Dáil on Thursday that 9,089 new social homes were built last year.

He said this was an increase of 1,256 social homes, or 16 per cent, compared to 2024, and was the “highest number of new-build social homes in the history of the state”.

But Labour housing spokesman Conor Sheehan said the figure was “beneath the target” set by the government, and that it comes after an under delivery of around 4,000 units as part of the previous housing plan.

He said that since the Government had “never met” its social and affordable housing targets, and asked Browne if social housing targets of around 12,000 a year would be increased to reflect the “growing housing deficit”.

Browne said there had been “record levels” of social housing built and the social housing figures “had been tracking in and around 25 per cent of the overall annual housing output”.

He said the Housing Commission had recommended that social housing and cost rental housing should make up at least 20 per cent of the total housing stock.

“We came from a very low standing start,” he told TDs.

“The last time the Labour Party had the Department of Housing you built 75 new-build social homes in the entire state.”

Sheehan said that based off a Q3 construction status report, the Government would only meet 30 per cent of its social housing target.

He said that Browne’s rental reforms would increase homelessness, to which Browne said: “I don’t accept that the new legislation is going to drive up homelessness.”

The government’s previous housing plan, Housing for All, set a target of 10,000 new-build social homes for 2025, and an overall target of 34,600 new-build homes.

The Government’s new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities, sets out a target of 300,000 new homes from 2025 to 2030, including 72,000 social homes.

This averages at 50,000 new homes a year and 12,000 new social homes.

Sinn Féin housing spokesman Eoin Ó Broin said that Browne had confirmed the Government “missed” its new-build social housing target last year.

“The 10,000 target was too low to begin with,” he said.

“We need at least 15,000 new-build social housing homes every year to reduce waiting lists and homelessness.

“Not only was the target too low but it was missed.

“At a time of rising homelessness this is utterly unacceptable.

“The consequence of this is that social housing waiting lists and homelessness will continue to rise in 2026 as they did in 2025.”