Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage

04/09/2026

➡️ Catch-up on the latest progress in housing delivery this week
Gov.ie/Housing 🏘️

01/09/2026

A new state of the art children's playground officially opened along with the start of the next phase of walking trails at Connemara National Park in Letterfrack, Co. Galway

Minister Christopher O'Sullivan TD , has officially opened the brand new state of the art children’s playground which creates an improved experience for families with children of all ages enjoying fun in nature in the heart of Connemara.

Minister O’Sullivan also turned the sod on a development that will deliver 6.1 km of new trails in the Mweelin area of Connemara National Park, a project developed by National Parks and Wildlife Service in partnership with Fáilte Ireland

It is proposed that 70% of the trails will be accessible, making Connemara National Park a leader in inclusivity and accessibility.

Read more: https://bit.ly/3UowGs1

01/09/2026

Met Éireann announces new list of storm names for 2026/27

New names include several associated with Met Éireann’s history, as part of celebrations of the meteorological service’s 90th anniversary. The full 2026/27 list is:
Austen,
Boelo,
Chloe,
Dano,
Evelyn,
Finn,
Gwendolyn,
Heather,
Ivy,
Jade,
Kilian,
Laoise,
Miriam,
Nicola,
Olaf,
Phelim,
Ruban,
Shaun,
Theo,
Vesna,
Wende.

Met Éireann, in partnership with the Met Office and the Knmi , has launched the new list of names for the 2026/27 storm ‘season', which starts today and runs until 31st August 2027.

Of the list of 21 names, each of the national partners has contributed seven names. Met Éireann’s selection features four historically significant names- Austen, Evelyn, Kilian and Miriam, and three derived from a longlist of nominations proposed through a public campaign run last year- Heather, Laoise and Phelim.

https://bit.ly/4gGfUMt

28/08/2026

➡️ Catch-up on the latest progress in housing delivery this week

Gov.ie/Housing 🏘️

25/08/2026

Today James Browne TD met with the new Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor Daryl Barron.

They discussed housing priorities, current housing delivery programmes and opportunities to support the delivery of more homes across Dublin City Council.

The discussion also focused on addressing vacancy and dereliction in the city and how best to ensure housing investment aligns with Dublin City Council’s housing priorities.

22/08/2026

The 95th National Ploughing Championships returns to in Screggan, Tullamore, Co. Offaly from 15th - 17th September 2026.

Drop by the Government of Ireland Village for interactive demos and a chat with teams from Government Departments and agencies nationwide. We will be located at Stand: 138, Row: 7, Block: 4. We’d love to see you there!

21/08/2026

21/08/2026

Did you know that our National Monuments Service has a dedicated Underwater Archaeology Unit within the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage?

The UAU is tasked with managing, protecting and promoting Ireland's rich underwater cultural heritage within the marine, coastal and inland waterways. The UAU also maintains and updates the fascinating Wreck Inventory of Ireland Database (WIID) and the interactive Wreck Viewer map, both accessible to the public.

Look out also for the National Monuments Service’s dedicated website to underwater cultural heritage, which also goes live today www.UCHIreland.ie

James Browne TD Christopher O'Sullivan TD National Monuments Service - Archaeology National Parks and Wildlife Service Waterways Ireland UNESCO National Museum of Ireland
Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland

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20/08/2026

3,028 new homes were commenced in July this year 🏘️

Minister James Browne TD has welcomed the latest home commencement figures showing strong momentum in the housing sector.

The figures show:
📈an increase of 169% compared to the same period last year (1,125 new homes commenced in July 2025); and
🏘️18,974 new homes commenced since the start of the year- up 152% from the 7,539 homes commenced in the first seven months of 2025.

Read more here: https://bit.ly/4wEJ8kC

20/08/2026

Over 100 new homes for Cork’s South Docks 🏘️

The The Land Development Agency and O’Callaghan Properties have announced plans to deliver 103 homes in Cork’s South Docks at Kennedy Quay next to the River Lee.

The project is a core part of the ongoing regeneration of the Cork Docklands and will act as a catalyst for further redevelopment in the immediate and surrounding area.

The 103 homes include:
🏡45-one-bed;
🏡42 two-bed; and
🏡16 three-bed apartments.

The homes are being developed in partnership with O’Callaghan Properties as part of the LDA’s Project Tosaigh homebuilder partnership initiative.

The Land Development Agency (LDA) is the State’s affordable housing delivery body. Its main role is to acquire and develop State and other land to deliver affordable homes to address the country’s housing need.

Read more: https://bit.ly/4qtspzs