Fianna Fáil has welcomed housing completion data which shows that 8,452 new homes were finished in Quarter Three of 2023.

The party's spokesperson on Justice and TD for Dublin Bay South Jim O'Callaghan, spoke out after the Central Statistics Office (CSO) revealed that the number of new homes have increased by 15 per cent compared to Quarter Two of this year.

Mr O'Callaghan accepted the strong housing budget for 2024 and the 'across the board' increases in allocations which were set out by Minister Darragh O'Brien in response to Deputy O'Callaghan.

In the first nine months of 2023, 22,433 homes have been completed which is a nine per cent increase on the same period in 2022. In September 2023, work began on 2,607 new homes which is an 18 per cent rise on the number of new homes that were started in September 2022.

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In a statement, Mr O'Callaghan said: "This activity is being spurred by the investment the Government is making in housing, more than €4.5BN this year with a further €5BN allocated for next year. The information I received from the Minister shows the allocations under each housing programme for next year, with increases seen across the board.

"These increases are absolutely necessary as we focus on our objectives of home ownership, affordable rental and of course in looking after those who need our assistance most – those in emergency accommodation or rough sleeping. I sought assurances from the Minister that the funding allocated will be enough to meet projected needs and I am happy to have received this assurance.

"I was particularly pleased to see that additional National Development Plan Capital funding expenditure of €250m in capital funding for 2024 will distributed in the coming months and the Minister informed me he will be putting forward a strong case for this additional investment."