DUBLIN – In a move to insulate the national economy from global volatility while addressing a persistent domestic crisis, Minister for Housing, James Browne TD, officially launched Ireland’s 2026 international investment strategy today.1 The centerpiece of the announcement is a coordinated, State-led delegation to MIPIM 2026—the world’s premier real estate summit—where Ireland aims to secure a significant portion of the €20 billion in annual private capital required to meet its ambitious 2030 housing targets.2+1
Unveiled as a critical component of the newly minted “Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025–2030” action plan, the strategy seeks to attract both domestic and international investors to Cannes, France, from March 9–12.3 With an overarching goal of delivering 300,000 new homes by the decade’s end, the government is framing Ireland as a stable, high-growth “safe harbor” for institutional assets.4+1
The Capital Gap: Why Cannes Matters
While the Irish State has committed record-breaking public funding for infrastructure, the government’s math is clear: public coffers cannot build 300,000 homes alone. The Department of Housing estimates that roughly 60% of development finance must come from private sources to bridge the gap.5
“Ireland is open for business and ready to build at pace and scale,” Minister Browne stated. “In a volatile global environment, we are enabling critical space for private capital to complement the largest-ever levels of State investment in our history.”
A Unified “Ireland Pavilion”
For the first time, Ireland will present a single, “State-coordinated” national presence at the event, which manages over €4 trillion in assets.6 The Ireland Pavilion will be overseen by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, in partnership with the Department of Finance, the Housing Agency, and the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF).7+1
The pavilion will serve as a hub for:
- Policy Briefings: Outlining the operational advantages of the new 2025–2030 Housing Plan.
- Viability Showcases: Highlighting recent tax reforms, including the reduction of VAT on apartments from 13.5% to 9%.8
- Strategic Partnerships: Connecting global sovereign wealth funds with domestic SME developers.
Reversing the Inflow Decline
The surge to MIPIM comes as recent data indicates a cooling trend in private capital inflows to the Irish residential sector.9 To counter this, the government is highlighting new legislative “anchors,” such as the Building Standards Regulatory Authority and reforms to Judicial Review, designed to reduce the “red tape risk” that often deters international pension funds.
| Metric | Target / Requirement |
| Total Housing Target (2030) | 300,000 Units |
| Annual Private Finance Needed | €20 Billion |
| State Capital Commitment | €50 Billion (Total Plan) |
| Social Housing Target10 | 72,000 Units11 |
Modernising the “Irish Story”
The delegation will not just talk about bricks and mortar; it will pitch a modernized construction ecosystem. The 2026 program includes a dedicated focus on Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) and standardized designs, which the government hopes will reduce build costs and programme durations—making Irish projects more competitive on the global stage.12
With over 20,000 delegates expected in Cannes, the “Ireland at MIPIM” website has already gone live to facilitate pre-event networking between the Irish delegation and the world’s most influential property funders.13
Minister for Housing, James Browne TD, Wikimedia Picture by European Union
