Featured image: Artist Impressions of proposed 21 No Social Housing Units at Windyhall, Letterkenny
Donegal is the worst-performing local authority for housing delivery, a new list has revealed.
The council has missed its annual goals each year since 2022, having built just 46% of its target homes.
Out of a projected 534 new dwellings, 248 have been completed.
The figure places Donegal at the bottom of a national table, which Housing Minister James Browne is seeking Cabinet approval today to publish.
A special meeting on housing was held in Lifford yesterday, during which county councillors were briefed on progress on housing delivery in Donegal.
There are 511 social housing units currently under construction in the county.
Chief Executive of Donegal County Council, John McLaughlin said that with 240 houses already finished in Donegal, there are now more than 750 houses being delivered by the council under the Housing for All programme.
The council is working towards a government-set target of 879 units.
“We are tracking well, even though we need a lot more, I accept that too,” Mr McLaughlin said.
The larger developments under construction include more than 100 homes at Killylastin in Letterkenny, 54 in Buncrana and 43 in Dungloe.
The units are being developed through various delivery types, including in-house, in-house design and build, turnkey, and collaborations with Approved Housing Bodies.
County councillors were informed that there are 108 units in progress through turnkey acquisition.
Two projects, Corrán an Lin Convoy (Phase 1) and Anagaire, are complete, while the remaining five, including Corrán an Lin (Phase 2), Drumrooske West, Donegal Road, Windyhall, and Machaire Chlochair, are currently on site with anticipated completion dates ranging from November 2025 to June 2026.
A further 108 units are at the tendering stage across Lifford Common, Milford (Tamney), St Johnston and Stranorlar.
Developments at Barrack Hill in Carndonagh, Malin, and Gleneely, comprising 40 units in total, are all progressing through the construction stage
A further 100 units are in the pipeline at design stage at Ballyhasky in Newtowncunningham, Ard Na Glaise (Phase 2) in Kilmacrennan, Oldtown in Letterkenny, Rossgarrow in Milford, and Doirí Beaga.
Letterkenny’s flagship social housing projects are also progressing, councillors were told.
Ballymacool (170 units) has received Stage 1 Department approval and is preparing a Stage 2 submission to the Department of Housing and Part 8 planning documentation for July 2025. Housing Capital met with Donegal Centre for Independent Living early in May 2025, and proposals for a group home have been sent to HSE for comment.
Meanwhile, a letter of intent has been issued to the High Road (150 units) design team with a pre-appointment meeting scheduled for Wednesday, 16th July 2025.
