A report on construction activity has found a sharp nationwide decrease in the filing of planning applications over the first six months of the year.
The National Housing Construction Index, compiled by consultancy firm link2plans, shows a 19% drop in applications.
It also found a 7% fall in commencement notices, which are filed just before building starts on a new project.
Despite the heavy toll the recession has taken on the construction industry over the last five years, it appears activity levels are still falling.
The nationwide index shows there were just over 10,000 planning applications filed with local authorities between January and June.
That is a drop of almost a fifth compared to the same period last year.
Commencement notices, which are a more accurate measure of building activity that is actually under way, are falling at a slower rate.
Just three counties, Cavan, Cork and Westmeath, showed any increase in commencements.
In Dublin, a drop of just 2% over the first half of the year perhaps indicates activity may be close to bottoming out in the capital.
Other parts of the country, however, are seeing little sign of that with falls of up to 40% in both planning applications and commencements recorded in some counties.
