The Dáil’s housing committee was told the country was on course to have just over 30,000 new builds by the end of the year.

An Coimisiún Pleanála approved the application by Cairn Homes Properties Limited for the construction of 329 residential units on a 25-hectare site to the north-west of the town close to the Wicklow-Kildare border.

The Central Bank predicted that the Government will miss its housing targets for the next three years.

Cairn Homes will begin construction of the 608-unit apartment scheme