Surge in new home starts in Co Galway

THE number of homes commenced in Galway County in the first ten months of this year increased by over 80 per cent compared with the same period last year.

Newly published data from the Department of Housing revealed that a total of 709 new homes were started in Co Galway between January to September, while only 390 homes were commenced in the same period last year.

The report also highlighted that more than half of the houses, 388 homes, were individual family homes, demonstrating the continued demand for housing in rural communities.

Out of the 709 units, 264 homes are to be built under various schemes while there are only 57 apartments being built in the county area.

Meanwhile, in Galway City the number of new homes commenced increased more than ten times in the same period, with a total of 230 homes commenced so far in 2026. Out of these, 71 per cent will be apartments and only 13 individual family homes will be built.

“I am again greatly encouraged to see such positive numbers in Galway and across the country,” said James Browne, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

“As we move into the final quarter of the year, we can take great encouragement from the fact that all of the key indicators in the construction sector; commencements, completions and planning permissions are now moving in the right direction putting us in a very strong position to deliver homes,” he added.

Nationally, a total of 26,536 new homes commenced since the start of the year, representing one of the strongest three-quarterly periods of growth since records began.