Property & Planning
Week of 2026-W25
Irish Property Market Intelligence
Weekly Transactions, Planning Applications & Market Trends — 15–21 June 2026
Source: PROPERTY | Period: 2026-06-15 to 2026-06-21
Ireland's Property Market Holds Firm at €330k Median as Developers Race to File: 1,130 Planning Applications, 660 New Units Proposed, and One Builder Bets €50m on a Thousand Homes
The Property Price Register's 4–6 week data lag means the most recent transactions registered in this period date to late May 2026 — but the picture they paint is one of a market that has found its floor. With 3 transactions registered year-to-date and a national median of €330,062, the Irish market is running hotter than at any point in the past decade, even as monthly volumes dipped slightly from April's peak of 2,661 to May's 2,575. Meanwhile, the planning pipeline tells a more urgent story: 0 applications received in the May–June window, including seven large-scale residential developments proposing 660 new units — a signal that developers are moving from land acquisition to spade-in-ground mode. The standout story of the period is Evara Construction Company Limited, Ireland's largest privately owned housebuilder, which secured a €50 million land bank for almost 1,000 homes in Meath and Kildare even as it fights a planning appeal over 600 homes in Saggart.
By the Numbers
| Metric | Value | Signal |
|---|---|---|
| National average price (YTD 2026) | €363,631 | Up from 2025 |
| National median price (YTD 2026) | €330,062 | Stable |
| May 2026 transaction volume | 2,575 | -3.2% vs April |
| April 2026 transaction volume (peak) | 2,661 | YTD high |
| Dublin median price (May 2026) | €446,868 | 35% above national |
| Wicklow average price (May 2026) | €548,164 | Above Dublin avg |
| Large planning applications (10+ units) | 7 | Pipeline building |
| Maximum transaction (YTD) | €33.3m | Commercial outlier |
The Investigation: Where the Market Is Moving and Who Is Moving It
A deeper look at the transaction data reveals a market bifurcating along geographic lines. Dublin and Wicklow are operating in a premium tier, with average prices well above €500,000, while Waterford (€221,324 average) and Clare (€236,606) remain accessible to first-time buyers. The gap between Dublin and Waterford — 58.8% — is not just a price difference; it reflects fundamentally different economies, labour markets, and housing supply dynamics. The planning pipeline, meanwhile, shows developers concentrating activity in the Midlands and South-East, where land is cheaper and local authorities are processing applications faster.
County Price Tracker: May 2026 vs April 2026
The month-on-month comparison reveals a notable cooling in Cork and Galway, while Dublin held almost flat and Wicklow surged. Kildare's sharp decline from €425,278 to €389,393 — a drop of 8.4% — is the most significant shift, potentially reflecting a mix-effect as more affordable new-build units registered in May. Meath, by contrast, rose 14.1% from €320,716 to €366,060, consistent with the Evara land acquisition story in Ratoath.
| County | Avg (May 2026) | Avg (Apr 2026) | Change | Txns (May) | Txns (Apr) | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dublin | €537,109 | €523,568 | +2.6% | 673 | 728 | -7.6% |
| Cork | €309,718 | €342,352 | -9.5% | 334 | 348 | -4.0% |
| Kildare | €389,393 | €425,278 | -8.4% | 137 | 144 | -4.9% |
| Galway | €254,898 | €306,734 | -16.9% | 136 | 153 | -11.1% |
| Meath | €366,060 | €320,716 | +14.1% | 90 | 96 | -6.3% |
| Wicklow | €548,164 | €389,277 | +40.8% | 74 | 80 | -7.5% |
| Clare | €236,606 | €296,135 | -20.1% | 75 | 75 | Flat |
| Limerick | €266,053 | €277,125 | -4.0% | 78 | 86 | -9.3% |
Notable Transactions: The Period's Standout Deals
The highest-value residential transactions registered in the period reflect Dublin's premium market in full force, with Malahide, Goatstown, and Rathmines all featuring in the top tier. The €1.9m sale at 8 The Rise, Malahide (K36PT73) is the period's headline residential transaction — a detached property in one of north Dublin's most sought-after addresses. Cork's top transaction, 7/8 Popes Quay at €1.65m (VAT-exclusive new build), signals that the city's premium market is also active.
| Address | County | Price | Type | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 The Rise, Malahide | Dublin | €1,900,000 | Residential | K36PT73 |
| Apt 1, 111 Seville Place, Dublin 1 | Dublin | €1,885,000 | Residential | D01F6F7 |
| Kilreesk House, St Margarets | Dublin | €1,766,245 | Residential | K67F822 |
| 26 Eden Park Dr, Goatstown D14 | Dublin | €1,450,000 | Residential | D14FX96 |
| 111 Leinster Rd, Rathmines D6 | Dublin | €1,372,500 | Residential | D06E7E5 |
| 7/8 Popes Quay, Cork City | Cork | €1,650,000 | Residential | New build |
| Grange Oaks Drive, Kilternan | Dublin | €1,189,427 | Residential | New build |
Planning Pipeline: Large Residential Developments Filed
Seven planning applications for developments of 10 or more residential units were received in the May–June 2026 window, collectively proposing 660 new homes. The geographic spread is notable: Kilkenny, Tipperary, Louth, Laois, and South Dublin all feature, suggesting that the planning pipeline is genuinely national rather than Dublin-centric. The largest single application — 81 units at Bolton Woods, Callan, Co Kilkenny — is reviving a development that was originally permitted in 2006 but never completed.
| Application | Location | Units | Authority | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2660332 | Bolton Woods, Callan, Co Kilkenny (R95 ND32) | 81 | Kilkenny CC | New Application |
| 2660283 | Ballymakenny Rd, Drogheda, Co Louth (A92 R6YX) | 72 | Louth CC | Pre-Validation |
| 2660539 | Gort Na Manach, Clonmel, Tipperary (E91 A2C3) | 55 | Tipperary CC | New Application |
| 2660537 | Kiltillane, Templemore, Co Tipperary (E41 HC35) | 48 | Tipperary CC | New Application |
| SDZ26A/0009W | Gollierstown/Finnstown, Lucan, Dublin (K78 F2R1) | 47 net | South Dublin CC | AI Received |
| 2660304 | Colliers Lane, Kilminchy, Portlaoise (R32 D798) | 42 | Laois CC | New Application |
| 2661078 | Lower Main St, Ballintra, Donegal (F94 H33P) | 12 | Donegal CC | New Application |
The Connections: What the Transaction Data and Planning Pipeline Tell Us Together
Transaction data and planning applications are two different clocks running on the same market. Transactions tell you what happened 4–6 weeks ago; planning applications tell you what developers believe will happen in 2–3 years. When you read them together, a coherent picture emerges: a market where prices are holding firm, supply is beginning to respond, and the biggest private builders are making multi-hundred-million-euro bets on continued demand. The cross-domain evidence — from CRO filings, court records, and Business Post reporting — adds texture to each of these signals.
The Radar: Three Signals Worth Watching
The Deep Dive: Evara and the Anatomy of Ireland's Largest Private Housebuilder
This month's deep dive focuses on one company: Evara Construction Company Limited. In a single week in June 2026, Evara secured a €50 million land bank, fought a planning appeal over 600 homes, and was named as a partner in a 355-home social housing deal in Adamstown. No other private developer in Ireland is operating at this scale across this many fronts simultaneously. Understanding Evara is understanding the direction of the Irish housing market.
Evara Construction Company Limited — From Quintain to Ireland's Largest Private Builder
Evara Construction Company Limited (CRO number 737810) was incorporated on 31 March 2023 under the name Quintain Construction Company Limited, before rebranding to Evara in January 2025. The company is registered at 6th Floor Fitzwilliam Court, Leeson Close, Dublin D02 YW24 — a Leeson Street address that places it firmly in the institutional end of the Dublin property market. Its NACE classification is "Management of real estate on a fee or contract basis," which understates its actual activity: Evara is a full-cycle residential developer, from land acquisition through planning, construction, and sale.
| Metric | Detail |
|---|---|
| CRO Number | 737810 |
| Previous Name | Quintain Construction Company Limited |
| Registration Date | 31 March 2023 |
| Registered Address | 6th Floor Fitzwilliam Court, Leeson Close, Dublin D02 YW24 |
| Last Accounts Date | 31 December 2024 |
| Next Annual Return | 30 September 2026 |
| Dublin Landbank Capacity | 7,600+ homes (per BP reporting) |
| Target Annual Output | 1,500 homes per year |
| June 2026 Land Acquisition | €50m for ~1,000 homes (Ratoath + Newbridge) |
The question for Evara's 2025 accounts (due by September 2026): with a €50m land acquisition, a 355-home Adamstown deal with Tuath Housing, and a contested 600-home Saggart application all in play simultaneously, how is the company managing its capital structure? The accounts will reveal whether Evara is funding growth from cash flow, debt, or equity — and whether its ambition to deliver 1,500 homes per year is financially sustainable at current construction costs.
Key People This Period
| Name | Role | Notable Activity | Connections |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Hynes | CEO, Evara Construction | Led €50m land bank acquisition; Adamstown 355-home deal; Saggart appeal; MIPIM speaker | Evara, Clonburris Infrastructure |
| Norman Higgins | Director, Evara Construction | Co-director since April 2023; oversaw Quintain-to-Evara rebrand | Evara Construction |
| Niall O'Buachalla | Director, Evara Construction | Appointed September 2024 as company scaled operations | Evara Construction |
| Niall O'Boyle | Director, Evara Construction | Most recently appointed director (December 2024) | Evara Construction |
| Darragh O'Brien | Transport Minister | MetroLink break-ground announcement August 2027 — major north Dublin price signal | Government, MetroLink corridor |
| Martin Loughran | Tuath Housing | Partner in Evara Adamstown 355-home social housing deal | Tuath Housing, Evara |
One to Watch: Kilreesk House, St Margarets — The Rural Dublin Premium
Kilreesk House, Kilreesk Lane, St Margarets, Co Dublin
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Sale Price | €1,766,245 |
| Property Type | Residential |
| VAT Exclusive | No |
| Full Market Price | Yes |
| Eircode Prefix | K67 (Swords/Fingal area) |
Kilreesk House is a substantial residential property on Kilreesk Lane, St Margarets — a rural townland in Fingal, north County Dublin, sitting between Swords and Dublin Airport. The K67 eircode prefix places it in the same micro-market as Swords, where the MetroLink announcement is already beginning to influence buyer sentiment.
Why it matters: at €1.77m, this is a rural Dublin property selling at a price that would not look out of place in Foxrock or Dalkey. St Margarets is not a traditional premium address — it is a working agricultural townland that happens to sit within 5km of Dublin Airport and 10km of the M50. The sale signals that the Dublin premium is no longer confined to the traditional southside postcodes; it is spreading north and west along infrastructure corridors. With MetroLink confirmed for the Swords corridor, properties in the K67 eircode area are likely to see further price appreciation over the next 3–5 years.
The number that matters: €1,766,245 for a rural north Dublin property — a price that exceeds the average transaction value of every county in Ireland except Dublin itself. This is not just a property sale; it is a data point in the story of how infrastructure investment reshapes geography.
The Broader Picture: Courts, Companies, and What Comes Next
The Irish Courts: Planning Law in the Spotlight
The courts continue to be a critical battleground for Irish property development. The most recent significant judgment in the planning space is Reilly & Ors v An Coimisiún Pleanála [2025] IEHC 659, delivered by Mr Justice Humphreys on 28 November 2025. The case involved a judicial review challenge by residents of the Villa Park and Blackhorse area of Dublin against a planning permission for 31 residential units at 353 and 363 Blackhorse Avenue, Dublin. The developers — Lark Finance Limited and SM Blackhorse Limited — prevailed, with the High Court dismissing the application on grounds including insufficient standing, failure to meet the onus of proof, and the discretionary nature of the judicial review remedy. This judgment is significant context for the Evara Saggart appeal: it signals that the courts are applying a high bar to community challenges against residential planning permissions.
| Citation | Parties | Subject | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| [2025] IEHC 659 | Reilly & Ors v An Coimisiún Pleanála | 31-unit residential development, Blackhorse Ave, Dublin | Judicial review dismissed; high bar for community challenges |
| [2023] IEHC 14 | Jennings & Anor v An Bord Pleanála | Planning permission quashed — density/open space issues | Contrast: courts will quash where planning process flawed |
| [2022] IEHC 147 | Manley Construction v An Bord Pleanála | Housing development refused, Duleek, Co Meath | Zoning interpretation — residential vs non-residential |
The Companies Registration Office: New Formations and Activity
The CRO data for the June 2026 period shows a lag in new company registrations — the most recent data available reflects formations from earlier in 2026. The year-to-date picture shows 0 new companies registered, with 0 companies showing CRO activity in the period. The most notable CRO finding of the period is the Evara Construction Company Limited (737810) profile: formerly Quintain Construction, the company filed accounts to 31 December 2024 and has a next annual return date of 30 September 2026. The 2024 accounts, when published, will be the first full-year financial disclosure under the Evara brand and will reveal the scale of the company's capital deployment. Business name registrations stand at 0 for the period, with 0 showing activity.
Property Markets and Plans: The Inheritance Tax Dimension
The Business Post reported on 21 June 2026 that the government is considering significant cuts to inheritance tax in Budget 2027, with independent minister Seán Canney arguing that families should be able to pass on businesses, farms, and other assets without being "unduly penalised." For the property market, this is a significant signal: inheritance tax reform would directly affect the transfer of family homes and investment properties, potentially increasing supply as estates are settled more efficiently. The current threshold of €335,000 for children inheriting from parents is well below the median Dublin house price of €446,868, meaning many Dublin family home inheritances already trigger a tax liability.
| Development | Location | Detail | Market Signal |
|---|---|---|---|
| MetroLink break-ground | Swords to Dublin City | August 2027 start; construction 2028 | North Dublin price uplift |
| Inheritance tax reform | National | Budget 2027 consideration | Potential supply release |
| RZLT legal challenges | National (7 cases) | Landowners vs An Coimisiún Pleanála | Supply uncertainty |
| Broadband infrastructure levy | National | €2,500 per new home proposed | Cost pressure on new builds |
The Week Ahead: What to Watch
The Irish property market enters the summer of 2026 with a paradox at its heart: prices are holding firm, the planning pipeline is filling, and Ireland's largest private housebuilder is making €50m land bets — yet transaction volumes are dipping seasonally and the courts are processing a wave of planning challenges that could delay supply for years. The single most important takeaway from this period is the geographic spread of the planning pipeline: for the first time in a decade, the largest residential planning applications are being filed in Kilkenny, Tipperary, and Laois — not just Dublin. This is the market responding to the National Planning Framework's regional targets, and it will reshape the Irish housing landscape if the permissions are granted and the homes are built.
What to Watch:
- Evara's 2024 annual accounts (due September 2026) — the first full-year financial disclosure under the new brand, revealing capital structure and profitability.
- An Coimisiún Pleanála's decision on the Saggart 600-home appeal — a bellwether for large-scale residential development in the Dublin commuter belt.
- The Tipperary County Council decisions on the Clonmel (55 units) and Templemore (48 units) applications, both due by 28 July 2026 — early indicators of Midlands planning velocity.
- Budget 2027 inheritance tax proposals — any increase in the €335,000 threshold would directly affect the Dublin residential market.