Search Results for 'Affordable housing'

The latest rental figures showing another sharp increase in Irish rents are far more than just another headline. They represent a structural turning point in the Irish housing market and the predictable outcome of poorly conceived interventions in the private rental sector. When government begins to interfere heavily in the operation of markets, particularly through politically motivated reforms, the law of unintended consequences inevitably comes into play. Capital markets, landlords, investors, and developers will always respond rationally in order to protect their own interests. That is not ideology; it is simply the reality of how free markets operate.

Property insights by Johnny Gannon, Fair Deal Property Galway Auctioneers & Estate Agents.

Major reforms to Ireland’s rental sector took effect on March 1, 2026, introducing new protections for tenants and reshaping how landlords can manage and sell rental properties.

The new homes market in Galway city and county continues to be characterised by strong demand and constrained supply, particularly for modern energy-efficient housing. Demand from first-time buyers and families for A-rated homes has grown significantly, driven by rising energy costs, green mortgage incentives and a greater awareness of long-term sustainability.

Strong demand for new homes across Galway is continuing to outpace supply, with estate agents reporting intense interest from first-time buyers and families, particularly for energy-efficient homes, while delivery remains slow and uneven across the county.

Ireland’s latest rent reform legislation is being presented as a reset for the rental market. In reality, it is a careful attempt by the State to solve two problems at once: protect tenants while stopping the steady exit of landlords and developers from the sector.

Ireland’s housing situation is at breaking point, and in Galway City, there is a significant shortage of available properties, and ever fewer that are attainable. Like many parts of the country, the housing market in Galway is very challenging, and escalating rent prices are placing considerable financial pressure on tenants. Young professionals, whether looking to buy on their own or with a partner, are hitting brick walls that they just can’t seem to break down, and the situation seems to be getting worse, rather than better.

Galway County Council is hosting a free public webinar at 1pm and 7pm on Thursday December 4 to explain how the Affordable Housing Purchase Scheme works.

Galway County Council has announced that site works on one of the largest social and affordable housing schemes delivered in east Galway will commence before Christmas.

Galway City Council has land for housing, demand for housing, but there is no Government plan to build on scale, a former Mayor of Galway City has claimed.