Almost 30,000 news homes were built last year

Construction began on 7,349 new homes in the first quarter of this year.

That's the highest first quarter since the figures began being tracked in 2014.

Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien is updating Cabinet this morning and will tell colleagues 29,815 new homes were built last year.

Meanwhile, Cabinet will be updated on the reform of An Bord Pleanala this morning.

Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien will tell his colleagues there has been a 62 per cent increase in staffing at the planning body.

117 additional posts have been approved at An Bord Pleanala since 2021.

15 new board members have also been put in place since April of this year.