New figures from the Central Statistics Office show that planning permissions for new homes in the first quarter of this year jumped by 80.8% on the same time last year.
The CSO said that planning permissions were granted for 8,405 "dwelling units" in the first three months of the year compared to 4,650 units the same time last year.
It said the first quarter saw the first permissions granted by An Bord Pleanala through Strategic Housing Development Applications.
These accounted for 62% of the quarterly increase in homes being granted planning permission.
Today's figures show that planning permissions were granted for 5,917 houses in the first quarter of 2018 and 3,754 in the first quarter of 2017, an increase of 57.6.%.
Permissions were also granted for 2,488 apartment units, compared with 896 units for the same time in 2017, an increase of 177.7%.
One-off houses accounted for 16.5% of all new dwelling units granted planning permission in this quarter, the CSO added.
