Fewer houses were built in the State last year than at any time since records began more than 40 years ago, writes Olivia Kelly.
A total of 10,480 houses were completed in 2011, down from a peak of more than 93,000 in 2006. The number of houses built last year was lower than in 1970, the first year for which the Department of the Environment has records, when 13,887 houses were completed.
Building rates increased until the mid-1970s, with 26,892 houses built in 1975. Figures remained relatively stable over the next decade but began to decline from the mid-1980s and had fallen back to 19,652 by 1990.
Over the following decade construction levels soared, with 49,812 house completions in 2000. Numbers almost doubled again up to 2006 but have since declined.
The two most dramatic reductions were between 2008 and 2009 (from 51,724 to 26,420) and between 2009 to 2010, when completions sank to 14,602.