DUBLIN — Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne TD officially marked the start of construction on more than 1,000 new residential units across two developments in Dundrum, South Dublin.
The official sod-turning ceremonies signaled major progress under the state’s housing delivery strategy, bringing over 1,000 energy-efficient, high-quality homes into active construction to serve local social and affordable housing needs.
Dún Brí and Emmet Gardens Project Details
The residential projects span two key locations within the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council administrative area:
- Dún Brí (Former Central Mental Hospital Site): Led by the Land Development Agency (LDA), the flagship 934-home masterplan at the historic former Central Mental Hospital grounds—now rebranded as Dún Brí—has entered phase-one construction. The scheme will deliver a mix of cost-rental, affordable purchase, and social housing on strategically located state lands.
- Emmet Gardens: Developed directly in partnership with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, this site will deliver 129 social and affordable units. Located along Dundrum Road, the project utilizes local authority land through competitive dialogue procurement to accelerate residential delivery near key public transport corridors.
Drive for Housing Delivery Momentum
Speaking at the project sites, Minister James Browne emphasized that scaling up construction on public land remains the government’s priority to deliver housing at prices accessible to individuals and families.
“Momentum is going in the right direction, and we want keys in hands for individuals and families as quickly as possible,” stated Minister Browne, highlighting the government’s broader commitment to accelerating home completions across urban centers.
The two developments form part of broader state efforts under the national housing plan to expand public housing output, increase affordable rental supply, and repurpose underutilized state-owned land banks for residential communities.
Real estate building design by rawpixel for illustration purposes only
