Official figures show a sharp fall in the volume of activity in the construction sector in the first quarter of 2008 compared with the same period last year.
The Central Statistics Office said its index of production in building and construction showed a drop of 21.6% in volume terms in Q1. The value of production dropped by 18.2% in the same period.
The fall in output was mainly due to a 38% slump in house building, which was only partly offset by a 9% increase in non-residential building. Civil engineering activity dropped 4%.
The overall figures compare with a 2% rise in output in the euro zone and a 2.4% increase in the EU as a whole.
