Local authorities granted planning permission for just over 100,000 housing units in 2004, an increase of 30 per cent on 2003 figures.
In 2004, over half of the decisions taken related to applications for individual houses, and almost 80 per cent of these were determined within the statutory objective of eight weeks from date of receipt.
The figures come from a report published today entitled Service Indicators in Local Authorities 2004.
The report, the first of its kind, compares data from local authorities using 42 indicators spanning a wide range of services that are intended to measure the performance of local authorities in their scale of operations, impact on customers, management decisions and as employers.
Other indicators showed that the number of bring banks increased from 426 in 1995 to 1,767 in 2004, reducing the number of persons per bring bank from over 8,000 to just over 2,000.
Speaking at the Customs House Dublin today, Minster for Environment and Local Government, Dick Roche said the report was not designed "to pillory anyone but to establish best practice.
"It is very good therefore that local government has taken a lead in accounting publicly for the quality of service it provides to all of us - its customers," he added.
"A key point I would emphasis is that the service indicator initiative will allow local authorities to measure their own performance year-on-year," Mr Roche said. "And that is the real challenge for local authorities. Each authority must put in place a strategy to ensure that performance is improved on an ongoing basis."
The report was compiled by the Local Government Management Services Board in conjunction with an Independent Assessment Panel.
