Property & Planning
Week of 2026-W05
Irish Property Market Intelligence
Monthly Report: Transactions, Planning & Market Trends — 29 January to 4 February 2026
Source: PROPERTY | Period: 2026-01-29 to 2026-02-04
394 Transactions, One Week: Dublin's Malahide Tops €3.675m as Volume Surges 4x and Institutional Capital Eyes the Exit
The Property Price Register recorded 3 transactions in the week of 29 January to 4 February 2026 — a 4.2-fold surge on the 94 registered in the preceding week, almost certainly reflecting a backlog of late-January completions clearing through the system rather than a genuine demand spike. The national median of €324,250 sits 4.6% below the previous week's €339,175, a signal that the volume surge was weighted towards mid-market and regional properties rather than premium stock. Dublin, however, told a different story: the capital's median of €466,960 was 8.7% above the previous week's €429,500, driven by a cluster of south Dublin and coastal transactions that included a €3.675 million sale in Malahide — the highest residential transaction registered in the period and 7.8 times the national median.
By the Numbers
| Metric | Value | Signal |
|---|---|---|
| National Median Price | €324,250 | -4.6% vs prev. week |
| National Average Price | €342,631 | -4.2% vs prev. week |
| Dublin Median Price | €466,960 | +8.7% vs prev. week |
| Dublin Average Price | €553,092 | +3.2% vs prev. week |
| Cork Average Price | €317,711 | +38% vs prev. week |
| Highest Transaction | €3,675,000 | Malahide, K36 |
| Total Transactions (prev. week) | 94 | -76% vs this week |
| Planning Applications Received | 137 | 46 residential units |
The Investigation: Where the Money Moved
A deeper look at the 3 transactions registered in the period reveals a market of two speeds. Dublin's 113 transactions — 28.7% of national volume — averaged €553,092, more than 60% above the national average of €342,631. Outside the capital, Cork delivered the most striking shift: its average price of €317,711 was 38% above the previous week's €230,195, driven by a mix of suburban Cork city transactions and rural West Cork properties. Meath, with 24 transactions averaging €403,064, confirmed its status as Dublin's most expensive commuter county — a market that has absorbed significant demand displacement from the capital.
County Price Tracker: Current vs. Previous Period
The county-level comparison below covers the current period (29 Jan – 4 Feb 2026) against the previous equivalent week (22–28 Jan 2026). Note that previous-period data is available for Dublin and Cork only from the analytics tool; other counties show current-period data only. The volume surge is the dominant story: Dublin's transaction count tripled from 32 to 113, while Cork's nearly quadrupled from 11 to 43 — both consistent with a registration backlog clearing rather than a sudden demand surge.
| County | Avg (Current) | Avg (Previous) | Change | Txns (Current) | Txns (Previous) | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dublin | €553,092 | €535,714 | +3.2% | 113 | 32 | +253% |
| Cork | €317,711 | €230,195 | +38.0% | 43 | 11 | +291% |
| Meath | €403,064 | N/A | — | 24 | — | — |
| Kildare | €280,359 | N/A | — | 18 | — | — |
| Galway | €222,738 | N/A | — | 19 | — | — |
| Wicklow | €461,652 | N/A | — | 12 | — | — |
| Waterford | €273,581 | N/A | — | 9 | — | — |
| Kilkenny | €264,437 | N/A | — | 8 | — | — |
Top Transactions Registered This Period
| Address | County | Price | Type | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 39 Abbotts Hill, Malahide | Dublin K36 | €3,675,000 | Residential | 7.8x national median |
| 15 Eaton Square, Monkstown | Dublin A94 | €2,600,000 | Residential | 5.5x national median |
| 75 Terenure Road North, Dublin 6 | Dublin D6W | €1,590,000 | Residential | D6W premium |
| 63 The Stiles Road, Clontarf | Dublin D03 | €1,400,000 | Residential | Clontarf seafront |
| 44 Haddington Road, Dublin 4 | Dublin D04 | €1,200,000 | Residential | D4 Georgian |
| 39 Castle Park, Monkstown | Dublin A94 | €1,255,000 | Residential | A94 cluster |
| 161 Orwell Road, Churchtown | Dublin D14 | €1,125,000 | Residential | D14 southside |
| Beabeg, Julianstown, Meath | Meath A92 | €985,000 | Residential | Rural Meath premium |
Planning Applications: Supply Pipeline Signals
The 0 planning applications received in the period span 21 local authorities, with Tipperary County Council leading at 20 applications — a reflection of rural one-off housing demand rather than urban development pressure. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council's 15 applications are the most commercially significant, given the premium nature of the DLR market. The total of 46 residential units sought across all applications is modest, consistent with a period dominated by individual dwelling permissions and extensions rather than large-scale residential schemes.
| Planning Authority | Applications | Application Type | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tipperary County Council | 20 | Mostly Permission | Rural one-off housing |
| Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown CC | 15 | Mixed | Premium market |
| Laois County Council | 12 | Permission/Retention | Midlands growth |
| Donegal County Council | 10 | Permission | Rural dwelling |
| Kildare County Council | 10 | Permission | Commuter belt |
| Meath County Council | 9 | Mixed incl. Extension | Commuter belt |
| Wexford County Council | 2 | Permission | 4 apartments New Ross |
The Connections: What the Data Alone Cannot Tell You
Transaction and planning data is the spine of this report. But the most important stories this period emerge when you connect the register data to institutional investment flows, court decisions, and the corporate structures behind the numbers. Three themes stand out: the return of institutional capital to Irish residential, the legal unlocking of constrained development land, and the structural divergence between Dublin's premium market and the rest of the country.
The Radar: Three Signals Worth Watching
The Deep Dive: Malahide's €3.675m Sale and the Anatomy of Ireland's Premium Market
Two properties this period stand out for deep investigation: the €3.675 million Malahide transaction — the highest residential sale registered in the period and a benchmark for Ireland's ultra-premium coastal market — and the Monkstown cluster, where two A94 eircode properties transacted above €1.25 million in the same week. Together, they illuminate a premium residential market that is operating with confidence, thin supply, and strong buyer conviction.
39 Abbotts Hill, Malahide — Ireland's Top Residential Transaction This Period
39 Abbotts Hill, Malahide, Co. Dublin (eircode K36E190) registered at €3,675,000 on 4 February 2026 — the highest residential transaction in the period and 7.8 times the national median of €324,250. Abbotts Hill is a prestigious address in Malahide village, a coastal north Dublin suburb known for its marina, village character, and proximity to the DART. The K36 eircode cluster has consistently produced Ireland's highest residential transactions outside of south Dublin's D4 and A94 postcodes. This sale is not a full-market-price outlier — it is the upper end of a functioning premium market in a location where supply is structurally constrained by the village's built character and planning restrictions.
| Metric | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction Price | €3,675,000 | Highest residential in period |
| vs. National Median | +1,033% | 7.8x the €324,250 median |
| vs. Dublin Average | +565% | 6.6x the €553,092 Dublin avg |
| Eircode | K36E190 | Malahide village core |
| Property Type | Residential | Not VAT-exclusive (second-hand) |
| Transaction Date | 4 Feb 2026 | Registered same day |
The question for the next period: will the Malahide and Monkstown premium cluster sustain transaction volumes above €1m, or was this week's concentration of high-value sales a registration timing effect? If February's full-month data shows similar clustering, it confirms that the premium market is in a sustained active phase.
Key People This Period
| Name | Role | Notable Activity | Connections |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stefan Hoops | CEO, DWS | Leading €220m Dún Laoghaire apartment sale — 12% premium on 2020 acquisition | Deutsche Bank subsidiary; Cosgrave Group (vendor 2020) |
| Colin Richardson | CBRE Ireland | Forecast €800m+ residential investment transactions in 2026 — double 2025 levels | DWS article |
| Humphreys J. | High Court Judge | Dismissed climate challenge to data center planning permission — [2026] IEHC 156 | An Coimisiún Pleanála; Clare County Council |
| Nolan J. | High Court Judge | Granted first written judgment on covenant discharge under 2009 Act — [2026] IEHC 153 | GUIA Properties; Newcastle West, Co. Limerick |
| Killian Woods | Business Post Property Correspondent | Broke DWS €220m Dún Laoghaire story — institutional investment return narrative | DWS article |
One to Watch: GUIA Properties Limited
GUIA Properties Limited
| Metric | Detail |
|---|---|
| Legal Status | Plaintiff — covenant discharge granted |
| Site Location | Rathnaneane, Newcastle West, Co. Limerick (Folio LK69478F) |
| Planning Permission | 10 houses — existing permission |
| Covenant Discharged | Single dwelling restriction — Section 50, 2009 Act |
| Judgment | [2026] IEHC 153 — Nolan J., 11 March 2026 |
GUIA Properties Limited is a property development company that successfully obtained the discharge of a restrictive freehold covenant on a site in Newcastle West, Co. Limerick, enabling the development of 10 houses under an existing planning permission. The case was the first written judgment on this issue under the Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Act 2009.
Why it matters: GUIA Properties is not a household name, but its legal victory is commercially significant beyond its own development. The judgment establishes a clear, replicable framework for discharging restrictive covenants on land with existing planning permission — a tool that will be used by developers across Ireland to unlock sites that have been legally constrained for decades. In a market where Limerick's average transaction price is just €130,001 and supply is thin, the ability to activate constrained sites is more valuable than in Dublin. Watch for: GUIA Properties filing for planning on the Newcastle West site, and other developers citing this judgment in covenant discharge applications in 2026.
The Broader Picture: Courts, Companies, and the Week Ahead
The Companies Registration Office
CRO activity in the period was modest but telling. Gerry Cosgrove Groundworks Limited registered on 27 January 2026 — just two days before the period opens — with €1 million in authorised share capital and a NACE code of Site Preparation. A groundworks company incorporating with €1m capital at the start of the construction season is a signal of pipeline confidence. Deilginis Management Phase 3 Company Limited by Guarantee recorded two changes in the period — an owners' management company (OMC) for an apartment development, consistent with a scheme reaching practical completion and transitioning to resident management. The Irish Planning Institute also recorded activity, a reminder that the planning system's professional infrastructure is active even in a week of modest application volumes.
| Company | Type | Activity | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gerry Cosgrove Groundworks Ltd | LTD (Site Preparation) | Registered 27 Jan 2026, €1m authorised capital | Construction pipeline |
| Deilginis Management Phase 3 CLG | CLG (OMC) | 2 record changes in period | Apartment completion |
| Irish Planning Institute | CLG (Professional body) | 2 record changes in period | Planning sector activity |
| Cosgrove Properties 2024 Ltd | LTD (Real estate) | Registered July 2024 — buying/selling own real estate | Developer vehicle |
The Irish Courts
Two High Court judgments delivered in early March 2026 have direct implications for the property and development sector. The first upholds a data center planning permission against a climate-based challenge; the second unlocks a constrained development site in Limerick through a landmark covenant discharge. Together, they signal a courts system that is broadly supportive of development activity while maintaining rigorous procedural standards.
| Citation | Parties | Subject | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| [2026] IEHC 156 | Doyle v An Coimisiún Pleanála [No. 3] | Data center planning — climate challenge dismissed | CPPAs sufficient mitigation; data center pipeline more legally durable |
| [2026] IEHC 153 | GUIA Properties v Paddocks Killeline | Freehold covenant discharged — 10 houses enabled | First written judgment under 2009 Act; framework for developers nationwide |
| [2026] IEHC 152 | Ryconlou Limited v Conlon | Commercial property dispute | Property litigation active in High Court |
Property Markets and Plans
The 0 planning applications received in the period are dominated by individual dwelling permissions and extensions, with the largest multi-unit application being just 4 apartments in New Ross, Co. Wexford. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown's 15 applications are the most commercially significant, consistent with the DWS institutional investment story and the period's cluster of premium south Dublin transactions. The absence of large-scale residential scheme applications in the period reflects the planning system's current rhythm: major schemes are typically lodged with An Coimisiún Pleanála rather than local authorities, and the local authority pipeline is dominated by smaller-scale activity.
| Application | Authority | Description | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20260130 | Wexford CC | 4 apartments, New Ross Urban | Largest multi-unit in period |
| 2660052 | Laois CC | Renovation + extension, Ballydavis, Portlaoise | Midlands residential |
| 2639 | Meath CC | Extension of duration — 6 houses, Duleek | Permission renewal |
| SD26A/0024W | South Dublin CC | Retention — garden room/granny flat, Lucan | Micro-unit trend |
| 2660063 | Tipperary CC | Holiday cottage, Garrykennedy, Portroe | Rural tourism |
The Week Ahead
The dominant theme of this period is divergence: between Dublin and the regions, between the premium market and the mid-market, between institutional capital rotating out of assets acquired at the bottom of the cycle and first-time buyers still navigating affordability constraints. The 4.2x transaction volume surge is a registration artefact, not a demand signal — but the underlying data confirms that Dublin's premium market is in an active phase, Cork is repricing upward, and Meath is establishing itself as a premium commuter county rather than a budget alternative to Dublin.
The DWS €220m Dún Laoghaire sale — if completed at or near the guide price — will be the largest single residential investment transaction of 2026 to date, and CBRE's €800m forecast for the full year suggests the institutional market is entering a new cycle. The GUIA Properties covenant discharge judgment gives developers a new legal tool for unlocking constrained sites. And the data center planning judgment confirms that Ireland's planning system will support tech infrastructure development even in the face of climate-based legal challenges.
What to watch in the coming weeks: whether the DWS Dún Laoghaire sale closes at the €220m guide price; whether February's full-month transaction data confirms Dublin's median above €450,000; and whether the GUIA Properties judgment triggers a wave of covenant discharge applications from developers holding constrained sites.