Seán Canney TD, Minister of State for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports and Leader in Cabinet of the Independent Ministers, has welcomed the latest housing commencement figures, which show a significant increase in the number of new homes starting construction across both Galway County and Galway City to the end of July.
The latest figures published by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage show that 584 new homes were commenced in Galway County between January and July 2026, compared with 290 during the same period in 2025 – an increase of 294 homes.
In Galway City, commencements rose from 17 homes in the first seven months of 2025 to 192 in the same period this year – an increase of 175 homes, representing a substantial uplift in housing activity.
Welcoming the figures, Minister Canney said: “These figures show real momentum in housing delivery across Galway. It is encouraging to see such a strong increase in commencements in both the county and the city, because every home that starts construction is another step towards getting more people into secure housing.
“While commencements are only one part of the housing picture, they are an important indicator of what’s coming through the pipeline. The focus now is on maintaining that momentum so that these homes are completed as quickly as possible and families can benefit.”
Nationally, 18,974 new homes have been commenced this year, up 152% from the 7,539 homes commenced in the first seven months of 2025 and representing the second highest number of new homes since recording began in 2014. 3,028 new homes were commenced in July – an increase of 169% compared to the same period last year, when 1,125 new homes were commenced.
Minister Canney added: “There is still much more work to do, but these figures demonstrate that the policies being implemented to increase housing supply are delivering results. It is vital that we continue supporting housing delivery so communities across Galway and throughout the country have the homes they need.”
