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HOUSE PRICES CLIMBED last year at almost double the growth rate seen in 2023, leaving prices 16.8% higher than at the peak of the Celtic Tiger property boom in 2007.
According to new figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO), residential property prices increased by 8.7% in the 12 months to December last year, up from 4.4% the previous year.
House prices in Dublin rose by 8.3% in December, with prices outside of the capital up by 9%.
The median, or mid-point, price of a house purchased in the year to December was €355,000, compared to €327,500 in December 2023.
In the year to December, house prices in Dublin rose by 8.7% while apartment prices increased by 6.9%. The highest house price growth in Dublin was in Fingal at 10%, with South Dublin seeing a rise of 6.9%.
Outside Dublin, house prices were up by 9.3% and apartment prices increased by 5.8%.
The region outside of Dublin that saw the largest growth in house prices was the Border (Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan, and Sligo) at 14.2%. At the other end of the scale, the Mid-East (Kildare, Louth, Meath, and Wicklow) saw a 5.9% growth in price.
The figures show that 5,177 property purchases by households at market prices were filed with Revenue last December, an increase of 2.3% when compared with the 5,063 purchases in December 2023.
The lowest median price for a house was €182,250 in Longford, while the highest median price was €660,000 in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown.
The most expensive Eircode area over the 12 months to December was A94 ‘Blackrock’ with a median price of €730,000, while H23 ‘Clones’ had the least expensive price of €131,000.
Looking at the full year, the median price paid by households for a house was €355,000, compared with €259,000 in 2019, and €155,000 in 2013.
A total of 48,775 dwelling purchases by households at market prices were filed with Revenue in 2024. This represents a 2.9% decrease compared with 50,234 purchases in 2023.
The annual national index for 2024 reached a value of 183.4, which is 12.7% higher than it was for 2007 when it reached a peak of 162.7.
Overall, prices of new dwellings have risen by 130.2% from their trough in the middle of 2013. Prices of existing dwellings are now 161.6% higher than at their trough in 2012.
Commenting on today’s figures, senior mortgage advisor with NFP Ireland Gerry Griffin said affordability is an increasing challenge, particularly for first-time buyers.
“While the pace of price increases has slowed slightly, demand remains strong, and supply is still struggling to keep up,”Griffin said.
He said that if the European Central Bank proceeds with an expected interest rate cut in March, mortgage rates could fall, boosting borrowing power.
“While this would benefit buyers, it could also drive further price inflation by increasing competition for available homes,” he said.
The real issue remains supply – without a significant increase in new housing, lower borrowing costs will likely push prices higher in the short term.
“For buyers, the key will be to assess affordability carefully. Even with lower interest rates, repayments will still be substantial given the high price levels.
“For policymakers, the focus must remain on delivering more housing at a faster pace to balance the market and prevent additional pressure on prices.”
Rachel McGovern, deputy chief executive at Brokers Ireland, said prices rose last year “at levels beyond what most industry commentators expected.
“These levels are not sustainable except for those on high salaries and those wealthy enough to not be dependent upon mortgage finance,” she said.
“There are appalling consequences for our society if policymakers don’t turn around housing in the near future and ensure that those on average incomes can achieve the ambition of owning a home.
It’s worrying to see that political football and scare mongering tactics are still being played with the issue which is continuing to bring heat rather than light to any debate on housing.
“We would call on the Government to be brave and decisive and not let another year pass before it acts on the recommendations of the Housing Commission in particular,” she said.
Earlier this week, Cabinet approved €450 million in funding that is set to provide 3,000 cost rental, affordable and social homes over three years.
However, Sinn Féin’s Eoin Ó Broin said the government is allocating less capital funding for social and affordable housing in 2025 that it spent in 2024.
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Oh my God. This unicorn myth of a gender pay gap has been debunked. There is no pay gap, yet it keeps resurrecting.
@Gerard Casserly: if the gender pay gap was true there wouldn’t be an able woman unemployed in the country. How these “feminists” think that the business community has a conspiracy against women as if business thinks “let’s pay John €20,000 more just to keep Mary out”. Crazy stuff. In business it’s all about the bottom line. Ivan Yates handed Ivana Bakich her butt on a platter yesterday on Newstalk trying to get away with this nonsense and another woman backed him up.
There is no gender pay gap but there is an earnings gap between men and women. Sex differentiated pay rates were made illegal in 1974 and are non-existent today. The earnings gap is due to the decisions made by men and women. In the vast majority of households men carry the responsibility of being the primary income earner hence the earnings gap. That is an arrangement that suits both people. It is also the reason there are more men in boardrooms and in management positions and in political office. If these people are really serious about changing this reality they will have to persuade more women to step up to the plate and accept responsibility for providing financially for their.families. They will have even less success that they have managed in trying to push girls into STEM subjects. It is a myth to say that this reality is due to socialization. It is down to human nature and the innate differences between men and women.
@frank mcglynn: but sure Frank, men and women are the same thing these days, men are women, women are men.
Theres good money to be made on the building sites ladies or do you just want the top well paid jobs. For every big wig top earning mega money there’s thousands of men earning a fraction of that labouring, collecting bins or doing security It’s nothing to do with gender I’m afraid.
@Randle McMurphy: Many people would have a preference for either Mary Robinson or Mary McAleese, and that’s fine, it’s as it should be, it’s the same for ex male presidents. The fact that they’re women doesn’t enter into it. We keep hearing arguments about how women weren’t allowed vote until 1918 and had to leave certain jobs when married until the 1973. All true and all wrong, and all ridiculous to base 21st century legislation on the mistakes of the 20th century, which were corrected.
Now we’re told gender pay discrimination persists, despite the Employment Equality Act 1998 outlawing it. If there’s a case of women being paid less per hour then men for doing the same work I have no doubt there are numerous very capable women and groups willing and able to bring a case against that company, so where’s the evidence? How many of these cases have been brought to court under this legislation?
Again, we’re told it’s a case of inequality, presumably of opportunity, because there are less girls than boys choosing STEM subjects, “they don’t seem particularly interested in STEM.” Let’s be clear here, nobody is preventing them from choosing STEM, far from it, every inducement and encouragement is offered. They’re just not interested. Feminists may blame men and the male patriarchy, lack of role models etc. however in recent years a lot of time, money and effort has gone into inducing girls into STEM areas, it just didn’t work out. Scientists and psychologists tell us that, on average, most girls just won’t gravitate towards STEM areas, they prefer ‘people centered and social fields’.
And then we’re told what about board members, the power, where are all the women in positions of power? Are they to be parachuted into these roles or work hard and long hours to earn them. It’s a little vague with the STEM careers, obviously when given a choice girls don’t choose the door marked STEM career but the author seems to want to force the unequal outcome. Clearly there was no discrimination involved, nobody prevented girls from choosing STEM careers, they all had the same opportunities, but because the outcome was unequal due to the free choices girls made, she feels something must be done to correct this.
There is a tried and tested way to become a CEO. Set up you own company. Put in 16 hour days, take all the risks, put your life savings into it and work for your dream. This has proven more successful in the past than complaining.
Ireland is crying out for labourers on building site. On the other hand small business suffer when hiring female staff due to maternity leave. One must accept we are not equal at all
@Ciaran O Connell: one could say women are in fact superior as they are the only gender who can grow a new life inside of them, something they should not be punished financially or career progression wise for
@Woolly: That’s true..but it doesn’t change what he said
@Woolly: If you aren’t there then yes you shouldn’t have the same progression as someone who is there.
@Woolly: exactly my point, therefore we are not equal. But we should recognise differences.
I know a guy who studied child care and struggling to find a job as he has been told the job would be preferable to a lady.
@Woolly: would you cop on! Do you expect to be progressing financially and/or on your career path while you’re off on maternity leave?! Be serious. And, let’s all be real here, most women have one child and then go on have to have another 1 or 2 in quick succession. So, while you’re off on your maternity leave, your employer, who has had to recruit, hire, train and pay your replacement, is supposed to do what for you in terms of advancing your career? When you eventually return, you’re supposed to have a pay rise and promotion waiting for you?
Why does the journal never present an opposing viewpoint to the gender pay gap canard. These articles occur regularly. The opinions and arguments presented in this article are completely ascientific and they have been debunked widely. Large scale well-replicated studies on occupational choice have shown clearly that women, when given a free choice, are much less likely than men to gravitate to so-called STEM fields, as evidenced by the fact that occupational gender segregation occurs in the most gender egalitarian countries. It says in the article that girls don’t seem interested in “STEM”, instead of taking this as meaning girls are just less interested in STEM she assumes it must be due to “socialization”. Where is the evidence for this?
@Damon16: Doesn’t the communist agenda, I mean liberal movement for the good of humanity.
@Damon16: and, if it is due to “socialisation”, maybe all the female relatives to these young girls should point them in the direction of STEM.
Women in general do not want jobs in the STEM fields. The quota system has been a total failure in the Scandinavian country’s. Women have free choice. Demanding that more women should be at the boardroom table without including bricklayers, refuse collection, sewerage workers, etc. Typical greedy feminism. Cherry picking what equality is. When was the last open day advertisement for men in the jobs of school teachers, male nurses, child care, etc. The fact is that men and women are different. With freedom of choice both genders can and will choose their own career path.
Typical toxic feminist bull from a left wing media
The Nordic countries have done more to address this gap than any other countries.
When left to their own devices Men and women’s career choices remained the same.
Jordan Peterson built public speaking tours based on debunking it.
There’s not enough women in the refuse collection business so maybe Michelle could practice what she preaches and ditch her high paying executive job, put on a snickers pants and collect my rubbish every Tuesday morning..
@Luke Lee: Lots of women work in recycling separating your rubbish. They work as cleaners in hospitals, office buildings, shopping centres etc. They work in healthcare cleaning and washing patients. There seems to be a myth that women don’t work in ‘dirty’ jobs.
@Bryan Yelahw: they don’t look to have 50% off jobs in sewer cleaning, block laying, road building etc…why are half of taxi drivers not women..total flexibility for working hours and no ‘barriers’ for women trying to enter..pass exam, buy car, install meter and off you go.
@SFAnkleTapper: Men are the reason there are not more taxi drivers. You seem to be confusing gender quotas and gender pay.
@Bryan Yelahw: how are men the reason there are not more taxi drivers?
Nice article. Although I would say that perhaps it isn’t the case of a inherent gender bias away from STEM subjects rather I think there may natural differences between the sexes in terms of general interest. Men seem to be more interested in things and women more interested in people.There is of course some cross over both ways I.e male primary school teacher/male nurses vs female engineers, but on mass people move to the areas they prefer. I don’t know many women who would look to open a computer to fix it or many men who want to teach young children. Scandinavia has the most equal opportunities of outcomes for both sexes on earth but men still go to STEM and women to social areas. The next step is to force someone into an area they don’t want in order to get 50:50 and that’s just crazy.
It’s not a gender gap it’s a parenting gap. Women who do not leave the workforce to have and raise children do not suffer any pay inequality.
Women who take maternity leave to have a raise children do – primarily because they tend to miss out on career development and promotional opportunities whilst away on leave.
If fathers and mothers split this responsibility equally there would be no issues- the fact that they choose not to do this is not an anti-woman conspiracy, it’s a personal choice albeit one that is perpetuated by the fact that legislation does not grant fathers the same rights to paid leave for paternity.
You could go as far as saying that the perceived ‘gender pay gap’ is actually a result of discriminatory practices against fathers. I doubt, however that the ‘feminists’ would see it like that.
@Dara O’Brien: I dispute that women without kids don’t suffer. I don’t have them and nor do I intend to, and yet I am unable to change companies, as when I interview people assume I’m going to have children shortly and therefore they do not see me as a good option. That is the same for most women I know in multiple industries. Nothing to do with education level, qualifications or aptitude for the job. I can’t get promoted due to the perception that I could have kids and Irish companies by and large do not promote women between 33-43 regardless of kids. No issue for men though. So it is the perception of parenting that is the issue. The only way around it is for men to take parental leave as well and even the playing field for perception. I agree women with kids have worse discrimination.
@FiFi La Sparkle: do you have any evidence whatsoever to back up theses fanciful claims? Any evidence at all that companies are making erroneous judgements and illegal hiring decisions based on female candidates’ likelihood to have children? Anything at all to support your theories?
@FiFi La Sparkle: I know lots of women in the 30′s who’ve been promoted. Companies are crying out to promote more women so perhaps there’s another reason why you’re not being promoted. Not everyone is going to be promoted. That’s not how hierarchies work
@FiFi La Sparkle: Don’t work for an Irish Company then. All of the positions of “power” in my company are filled by women.
OM, CSM, and TM’s are all female. Research the company that you are applying for and their values.
Obviously I can’t name whom I work for; but they’re pretty good at two day delivery.
Gender pay gap, everyone in Dublin gets paid more than the rest of the country
I’m so sick of people mixing up people’s own choice for a career and this gender pay gap “issue”. Obsessed with pushing women into STEM but I don’t see this same push for men choosing a career in child care. Inequality would be a man and woman doing the same job, with the same qualification, working the same amount of hours, for the same amount of years with no significant leave taken in that time and the man earning more than the woman or vice versa. Does anybody know a situation where this is happening?
I find it an inequality that there is a tax avoidance gap between the company she represents and the rest of the country. Maybe this is the innovation in companies she is talking about.
My wife stays at home with the kids. Feminists will count her as not having any “pay”. At the same time if you ask a feminist if the money I earn is “my money” or “our money” they will say categorically that it is “ours” because my wife works in the home – and I totally agree. When doing the stats she is entitled to be counted as earning at least half my income. Many men who earn more than their partner also often contribute higher % or mortgage/rent.. is that not a benefit that needs to be added the the “pay gap” calculations?? Of course not, because feminists need to come up the the “right” figure
There is no gender pay gap #itsthelaw
No this again..
The claim being pushed by some commentators that the wage gap between men and women is only due to sex is incorrect. Yes, gender is a factor but there are way more factors – 18 prominent ones I think, e.g. age, occupation, interest, personality (agreeable people get paid less than disagreeable people for the same job). You can’t just go and blame the entire wage gap on one factor. All factors need to be considered together. I believe in equality of opportunity as this means everybody, regardless of race, religen, gender, etc, are treated similarly, unhampered by artificial barriers/prejudices/preferences. Introducing equality of outcome and gender quotas will put us on the bad path!
@JackSimpson: Why spoil a good ideological viewpoint with nuance, appreciation that complex phenomena have complex causes and evidence.
John and Mary are in the same job. They do the same thing and are on the same salary. They both get a rise each year of… let’s say €150… which is based on job performance or sales etc…
They are both working for the company for 3 years and each earn €30450 when Mary goes on maternity leave.
John keeps working away (they’re unrelated by the way).
Mary has now been off for a year and decides to come back to work..
John is now on €30600 and Mary is on €30450.
Another few months down the line Mary has another child. She decides to take another year off.
Upon her return shes still on €30450 as she wasnt working for a full year and John who has been working hard this whole time is now on €30750…
Mary complains and says her salary is unfair…
@Jeremy Finn: Not to mention the extra work John had to do while Mary was off as the temp they hired had to be trained in and this took months.. TWICE… if anything John should have had a larger pay rise..
@Jeremy Finn: ‘John who has been working hard this whole time…’. Jeremy, having kids is the hardest job in the world. Pregnancy, birth, and taking care of kids ALONE is extremely difficult. Much more difficult than working in the office. I know because I’ve done both. So you’re implication that John is the only one that is working hard is unfair. And we need to reproduce to keep the human race going, do we not?
So womens’ careers should not have to suffer for reproducing.
@Michelle Prendergast: So Michelle, do you think that John shouldn’t get the pay rises or that Mary should also get them even though she hasn’t been there?
@Michelle Prendergast: having kids isn’t the hardest job in the world, get over yourself.
Jesus…its not a pay gap…it is a jobs gap.
Less women in higher paying jobs. An issue that needs to be addressed but that is not the same as a pay gap.
Just try being over 60 and female. It’s impossible to get any job in computing. Costs a fortune going to interviews and coming second to someone male and a bit younger
@Jane Alford: I worked in recruitment for IT professionals and companies are screaming out for females to balance up the IT work force so from my experience it has nothing to do with gender. The age thing could be an issue unfortunately
@Jane Alford: companies want the best employees why should the pick a less qualified candidate just because it’s a female,nonsense
@Jane Alford: Just try being over 60 and male. It’s impossible to get any job in computing. Costs a fortune going to interviews and coming second to someone female and a bit younger.
They don’t want you because you are old. Your gender is irrelevant. If you want to claim you failed to get the job on gender grounds you are wrong. If however you need to tell the world you have been treated badly try #ageism.
@mrdingaling: Ah, but I’m far more qualified than those who are selected. It’s pure discrimination, nothing to do with me being less qualified.
@Jane Alford: If you’re over 60 you’re close to retirement age and therefore a poor longterm investment
@JimmyMc: Jobs in the computer industry are rarely “long term” anyway, 11 months is pretty much the norm, as they can get rid of you without reason under 12 months, so it pays employers to have a high turnover. Plus I contract, so longevity is not an issue
@Jane Alford: After reading your now deleted comment on the missing girl, my conclusion is that its not your age that’s the issue for your lack of success at interview
@Jane Alford: If you were the best person for the job you would get it. Stop fooling yourself that you are being discriminated against because you are a woman. Try looking at yourself instead.
@Jane Alford: looking at your comments on another page, I think it’s your personality is why your not getting hired. Pretty disgusting
@Jane Alford: : I have many friends whose jobs in the computer industry are long term. They have worked long term for very well known companies. Others I know contract and they have contracts that specify the time of the contract. They obviously negotiate better than you because they cannot be gotten rid of within the time of their contract.
Have you ever thought that there are people out there that are way more talented and easier to employ than you are?
Thankfully people like Jordan Peterson are around to debunk this myth. It’s always about boardrooms and CEO’s and politics and never about low paid work. It’s a desire for power it seems more than anything, or to disempower men . One or the other or both
What exactly is the link between the ‘gender pay gap’ and fact that the number of girls has barely changed for uptake of STEM ( Science Tech Engineering and Maths) since 2014 ??? Is there anybody who has been around since 2014 that thinks Google Facebook etc etc are not the ones paying the highest salaries -by far in the Irish market – for all genders !! The point of the article seems to be -hey we need to close the gender pay gap – all those high paying jobs need STEM skills – yet they haven’t managed to join the dots that they need to learn those skills instead of hair and makeup apprenticeships ? It is simply NOT TRUE that the pay on offer for girls with STEM skills is not fantastic and has been since ( way back in 2014 ) – yet they are seemingly reluctant to want to study in these fields and are complaining about the ‘gender pay gap’ – are we supposed to believe that they haven’t been attracted to study STEM subjects because of a gender pay gap ? Yet those roles pay generously for both genders ???
It’s 10.10 € for most of the jobs here. Doesn’t matter you are men, women or someone between.
What a load of tripe..its not a gender pay gap as a parent pay gap..generally women will take a career break to raise the kids while the partner continues to earn.. it would be the same if men took a career break and women stayed on to earn the bread..women want to be equal but just want to be a little more equal than others..we seen this when insurance policies where issued not on gender..it didnt bring premiums down it brought them up and they had a canary about it..equal is equal
I work in the mining industry. 70+ hrs a week. We get paid big money for big risk. I’ve some of my work mates die on the job. 99% of us are male. I don’t see any of the feminists shouting for more women miners
Zzzzzzzzz
All the women I work with are paid more?
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