Government figures show fall in house building
The number of new houses and apartments being built around the country has fallen in the first quarter of this year, according to Government figures released today.
Just more than 20,000 units were completed in the first three months of the year, a reduction of almost 2,000 on the same period in 2006.
The figure, however, masks major variations across the country.
The number of houses being built in Dublin has fallen, but in Cork, the rate of construction has increased significantly.
The overall decline will be seen as a further sign of the slowdown in the Irish property market.
Total housing completions have been increasing year-on-year for several years, culminating in a record 93,000 houses and apartments being built last year.
