Property Industry Ireland’s (PII) annual conference returned to Dublin on 29 May 2025 under the headline theme “Building Tomorrow’s Vision Today”. A standout debate – “Solving the 300,000 Question” – examined how Ireland can meet the Government’s target of delivering 300,000 new homes by 2030. Below is a recap of the panel discussion featuring:
Ronan Columb, Castlethorn Group Managing Director
Andrew McKenzie, Head of Real Estate Corporate Finance, KPMG Ireland
Gerard Brady, IBEC Chief Economist
Why 300,000 Matters
Ireland’s Housing for All plan sets an average annual output of 33,000 homes through 2030 to close the affordability gap and support a population projected to exceed six million by 2040. Meeting that goal requires accelerated planning approvals, expanded infrastructure and continued investment in modern construction methods. Recent CSO figures show completions reached 32,695 in 2024.
Five Panel Takeaways
Each speaker highlighted a core message relating to the conference topic:
- Planning Certainty is Paramount – Statutory decision timelines proposed in the Planning & Development (Amendment) Bill 2025 could lower programme risk.
See Irish Planning Laws Explained 2025 for more information.
- Financing Must Reward Sustainability – Green bond pricing and EU‑Taxonomy compliance can shave up to 25 bps from debt costs, encouraging developers to favour A‑rated stock.
Explore the Sustainability in Construction guide.
- Infrastructure First – Public‑private co‑investment in roads, such as the Port Access Northern Cross Route and rail nodes like Woodbrook DART, is essential to unlock zoned land.
- MMC Can Close the Labour Gap – Off‑site timber and light‑gauge steel systems may cut on‑site labour hours by 30–40%.
- Data‑Driven Demand Forecasting – An integrated national housing database was recommended to improve supply alignment with demographic trends – a proposal now under review by the Housing Commission (awaiting publication of working paper).
The panel converged on three near‑term priorities:
- Enact the 2025 planning bill and resource local authorities to achieve the new statutory deadlines.
- Expand low‑cost green‑finance instruments to de‑risk sustainable rental blocks such as Castlethorn‑LDA’s cost‑rental apartments at Woodbrook.
- Streamline public‑sector procurement so that modular and MMC suppliers can scale without re‑tender cycles.
Conclusion
Reaching 300,000 new homes by 2030 is achievable but hinges on aligned action across planning, finance and construction innovation. The PII conference panel underscored that sustained collaboration between government, lenders, developers and the wider supply chain is already under way—yet urgency must remain high.
Columb emphasised that plan‑led master‑development combined with fabric‑first, MMC delivery offers a clear pathway toward the national target. Castlethorn plans to complete more than 1,200 homes across Woodbrook and Usher’s Mill by 2027, subject to planning outcomes.
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