More than 4,100 people avail of First Home Scheme to buy a home
Scheme is aimed at bridging the mortgage and deposit finance gap for first-time buyers
Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Convictions for wildlife crimes in single digits despite high number of complaints
In the absence of ‘real deterrents’, penalties amount only to ‘slap on the wrist’, says Sinn Féin MEP
Basic income support scheme for artists to be made permanent and opened to new entrants in budget
Negotiations down to the wire, with five big-spending departments yet to agree their budget allocations
Detective garda died after gas leak ignited on her boat, inquiry report says
Deirdre Finn was ‘never aware of fire starting’, says marine casualty board
Standardised designs could cut housing costs by 12.5%
Department of Housing report highlights potential savings from using prefabricated designs and off-site construction
Mooted children’s science museum could cost State €70m
Office of Public Works criticised by C&AG for lack of financial appraisal of project over 20 years
Irish house prices continue to rise, driven by a shortage of homes for sale, says Sherry FitzGerald chief
Rural counties are seeing a pronounced effect from housing shortages with available housing halving since 2019 in seven counties
Homeless figure climbs to new record high of more than 16,300 people
Figures do not include rough-sleepers, those in domestic violence refuges, or the ‘hidden homeless’ such as those sofa surfing
Families at risk of homelessness may have another chance to avail of tenant-in-situ scheme
Minister for Housing tells local authorities they can proceed with more acquisitions of properties
How a car crash in Dublin 4 drove public-sector CEO salaries higher
Resignation of EirGrid chief has had downstream consequences for Government over top-level pay
State currently delivering 50% of all new homes, Minister says
Minister James Browne says State responsible for 15,000 of new homes delivered
Funding delay is ‘fatal’ to Dublin Taskforce’s action plan, says David McRedmond
An Post chief called on Government to set aside €1bn in budget to fund action plan
House-building slump worsened in second quarter, BPFI says
Data on new-build starts underlines challenge if Government housing targets to be met
Asian hornets: 24 verified sightings in Cork and Dublin with two nests seized
Invasive species poses ‘significant threat’ to Ireland’s biodiversity
‘It would be great if families move in’: Four derelict Tallaght homes to be restored for sale
Properties at St Maelruan’s Park compulsorily acquired under Derelict Sites Act
Farmers to land €100k average payouts as part of Shannon water pipeline deal
Water to be extracted at Parteen Basin in Co Tipperary and piped 170km to the capital
Easing of garden cabin rules could have ‘unintended consequences’ for tenants
Threshold warns of ‘unintended consequences’ of Government proposal
Average Dublin City Council tenant pays just €77 rent per week. That may have to rise
Low rents, 40% discounts to tenants who buy and local authorities snapping up private new builds – the social housing model is broken
Dublin firefighters vote for industrial action over call-out changes affecting ambulances
Union says pressing on with changes without consulting staff would be ‘not only arrogant and insulting but also reckless’
Housing commencement figures down nearly 80% so far this year
Government unlikely to meet housing target this year, Department of Housing data suggests
‘A scheme for the wealthy’: Just 7% of applicants have had defective concrete homes fixed
Some 220 homeowners have had works completed under Defective Concrete Block Scheme out of 2,870 applications since June 2020
Government ‘should take advantage’ of stable building costs now, say surveyors
Easing construction inflation an opportunity to achieve progress with National Development Plan
154 vacant pubs earmarked for conversion into housing since need for planning permission dropped
Department of Housing says 459 new homes could be created through the process
Met Éireann spends almost €500,000 on planning consultants in 18 months
Department of Housing has paid out more than €1.4m on private planning consultants since 2020
‘I was traumatised’: Meteorologist Joanna Donnelly cites work conditions as reason for exit
Restrictions on outside work at Met Éireann - including school visits - took their toll, says forecaster
Who is Seamus ‘Banty’ McEnaney, the man who made over €200m from housing the homeless and refugees?
In the News podcast: How family firms linked to Séamus ‘Banty’ McEnaney have been paid large sums for emergency accommodation
Presidential election winner in line for increased election expenses refund of up to €250,000
Unsuccessful candidates whose vote reaches a quarter of the quota are also in line for same increased level of refunds
Minister for Justice to tell Cabinet preferred candidate for next Garda Commissioner
Current commissioner Drew Harris to remain in role until September 1st
Housing Agency raised salary for incoming CEO by over €23,000
Government approved bumping salary from lowest to highest point on Assistant Secretary pay scale on appointment of NTMA’s Martin Whelan
Homeless numbers hit new record high of 15,915
Latest figures do not include rough sleepers or unaccommodated asylum seekers
National Development Plan main points: how much is being spent and what are the big winners?
NDP is a total investment of €275.4bn from 2026-2035
Ministers sought multiples of available funding as part of national plan review
Spending on five key areas yet to be resolved in advance of launch of revised National Development Plan next week
Drop in housing commencements was expected after ‘record’ year, Taoiseach says
Lower figures for 2025 follow end of a waiver on developer levies, Micheál Martin says
Laws to fast-track apartment size changes could result in High Court challenges, lawyers warn
Proposed amendments would allow developers with planning permission to apply to build smaller and more apartments
Is Ireland ready for drab Soviet-style apartment blocks?
Government’s new apartment standards are so low they resemble the old Soviet blocks. And while more units may result, they won’t house more people
Ireland needs immigrants. But our economy can’t accommodate an infinite number
Ireland has a management problem as well as a demographic dilemma
‘We should be making homes, not units’: Smaller apartments plan could lead to more planning delays and few savings, experts warn
There's a fear among many architects that high-density, small-space living is unsustainable and does not serve the long-term needs of anyone except those who have no other choice. Photograph: iStock
Living in a small apartment: ‘It’s claustrophobic ... you can’t get away from each other’
New guidelines announced by Minister for Housing James Browne will see a reduction in the minimum size of studio apartments
How to move to a remote Irish island, to live a ‘better way of life’
There are tens of thousands of euro in grants available to renovate an island home, but life there might not suit everyone
Department of Housing facing court challenge after ‘11th hour’ withdrawal from PPP deal
Minister for Housing initially told housing committee members he was not aware of any legal proceedings
The Irish Times view on apartments: standards must not be abandoned
Europeans who relocate to Ireland are not struck by the generosity of our apartment layouts
Developers with permission for apartments will not need fresh application to change plans in line with new standards
More than 50,000 apartments are approved in Dublin alone, but could now be built with less floor space than originally agreed
Apartment size reductions offer ‘small, dark’ and ‘sad vision’ for Dublin, councillors say
City councillors seek ‘urgent meeting’ with Minister for Housing to discuss proposed changes
Social housing projects to go from four-stage approval process to single-stage
Move is intended to speed up the process of getting Government approval for building homes
Homelessness: Number of people in emergency accommodation rises to new high of 15,747
Almost 5,000 children included in total, which has risen by 11 per cent since May 2024, Department of Housing figures show
Delays to housing plan could push it back to September
Government figures say plan could not be completed until funding review of multi-year infrastructure delivery programme published
Minister seeks to ease fears of Airbnb hosts over new short-term letting rules
Many people live in the homes they are renting out and so will not need planning permission, says James Browne
Living next door to dereliction: ‘It’s been rotting for years … Rats all over the place’
Some 830 council homes nationally have been vacant for more than a year
Minister wants exemptions to new rent rules to be considered for students sharing houses
Students should not be ‘inadvertently disadvantaged’ by the new regime, says spokesman for James Lawless
Security allowance for local councilors to be quadrupled
Increase comes against the backdrop of increased concern about the safety of politicians
‘If you hang tough, good things do happen’: 17 people get keys to independent living apartments
Limerick accommodation a stepping stone for some returning from ‘rock bottom’
Semi-state CEOs: What do they earn and should they be paid more?
New Government structures mean many heads of commercial State companies will seek pay packet increase following review
A key social housing scheme is in danger of falling apart. Why?
The State has pulled the plug on a multi-million euro deal at the last minute, throwing the public-private partnership model into doubt
Home building rate shrinks for first time in nine months amid wider dip in construction
Construction firms report ‘market uncertainty and signs of demand easing’, even as Government again lags housing targets
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