Planning permissions granted for farm buildings have increased to their highest level in 10 years for the first quarter of 2026.
Central Statistics Office (CSO) data shows that 367 developments, which includes new building works, extensions and alterations or conversions, were granted planning permission in the first quarter of the year.
This is the highest level for the quarter since 2016, when 538 farm buildings received county council approval.
The bulk of the approvals are for building works on farms in Munster and the southeast of the country, with 162 new farm sheds and developments receiving the green light.
Some 43 extensions were approved to farm buildings, while 11 were converted.
The total floor area planned stands at 213,000m2.
CSO data for the past 10 years shows that farm building work began to increase in 2025 after a couple of years of stable works.
Planning permissions began to decline in the third quarter of 2021 before rebounding again in 2023 with the opening of the current Target Agricultural Modernisation Scheme III.
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