It's complicated. There are height limitations for residential buildings in the city (lower than those for commercial ones), and there's no culture of apartment living here comparable to other European capitals I know. Dublin is sprawling with single family homes. There's a debate going on right now about higher density zoning and the like, but it will take time. Regulations to improve building standards have added to cost, and most developers seem to be in it for the quick buck (my opinion only) and are holding back right now because that's no longer (or not yet again) an option after the crash.

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/economy/time-to-end-irela...