Louth’s new house starts showed major decline in 2025, new figures show

By Olivia Ryan, The Drogheda Independent

There were over 3,600 new home starts in Louth over the last two years, according to the latest commencement figures published by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

The data shows that 427 new homes were commenced in Louth in 2025, the lowest number of new housing starts since 2016, and substantially lower than the 3,196 recorded in 2024.

In 2024 there were a range of Government initiatives, including the development levy waiver and the Úisce Éireann rebate, which helped get a number of projects off the ground, but may also may have inflated commencement data for the year.

Housing commencement figures are regarded as an indicator of residential construction, and provide a picture of the amount of new houses which will likely become available in a local authority area.

In total there were 3,623 housing units which got underway in Louth across 2024 and 2025 combined. This marks an 88% increase on the 1,927 units commenced during the previous two‑year period (2022–2023), highlighting a substantial uplift in construction activity within the county.

A range of issues have plagued the completion of housing projects across Louth, with delays in connection to key services such as water and electricity holding up handovers to new owners.

But Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne TD said he is “determined to back ambition for Louth and delivering the homes we need across the county.”

He added: “This serious jump in the delivery of new home starts in Louth during the last two years is encouraging and signals further growing confidence in the construction sector.”

“This isn’t just about state backed delivery of social and affordable homes, this is about the activation of our private sector and seeing homes of all types for individuals and families.”

“Just before Christmas I launched a new Housing Action Plan - which will deliver record Government financial investment in building homes, but it also commits to creating the best possible environment for housing delivery. This includes an increased emphasis on providing the necessary infrastructure like water, electric, roads.

“As we continue to implement the action plan with huge urgency, I expect to see commencements rise year on year in Louth.”