There were 43 cranes visible over the centre of Dublin from the seventh floor of The Irish Times building on Tara Street on May 1st. This is a rise of three – or 7.5 per cent – on the previous month's total of 40.

There was a slight increase in the number of cranes both north and south of the Liffey: the northside total rose by one to six while the southside figure was up two to 37.

With the economy expected to continue its recovery this year and a number of significant developments due to enter the construction phase, it is likely that the number of cranes on the Dublin skyline will increase in the months ahead.

This is particularly the case in the south and north docklands where schemes at Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, Bolands Mill and North Wall Quay are set to enter the construction phase.

Preparations are well under way at Bolands Mill, the “Capital Dock” scheme on Sir John Rogerson’s Quay and at 72-80 North Wall Quay where Sean Mulryan’s Ballymore Developments and Singapore’s Oxley Holdings are due to start building on a 2.35-hectare site next to the new Central Bank headquarters.

The Irish Times will be conducting its crane survey once a month to track construction levels in the city.