Building and construction output fell by 36.9 per cent on an annual basis during the third quarter, according to new figures released yesterday. This marks the second-biggest decline in output in the EU.

The Central Statistics Office data shows that the value of production declined by 39.1 per cent in the same period.

Over the year to the end of September, volume output was down 55 per cent for residential building work and by 31 per cent for non- residential building work.

Output in the building and construction sector fell by 9.1 per cent in the EU and by 9.8 per cent in the euro zone. The largest decreases were in Lithuania, Ireland and Latvia.