Earnings per share (EPS) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Number of computations
Income from continuing operations	$ 3,072	$ 2,699	$ 2,507
Net income attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interests	(28)	(27)	(22)
Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests	134	0	(34)
Adjustment of redeemable noncontrolling interests to redemption value	(24)	40	(18)
Earnings from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders, basic	3,154	2,712	2,433
Earnings from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders, diluted	3,154	2,712	2,433
Income from discontinued operations, net of income tax expense	0	1,190	179
Income from discontinued operations, net of income tax expense	0	1,190	179
Net earnings attributable to common shareholders, basic	3,154	3,902	2,612
Net earnings attributable to common shareholders, diluted	$ 3,154	$ 3,902	$ 2,612
Denominator computations
Weighted average common shares outstanding, basic (in shares)	723,900,000	758,300,000	780,200,000
Effect of dilutive employee share awards (in shares)	5,300,000	5,800,000	6,600,000
Weighted average common shares outstanding, diluted (in shares)	729,200,000	764,100,000	786,800,000
Basic earnings per share attributable to CRH plc
Continuing operations, basic (in usd per share)	$ 4.36	$ 3.58	$ 3.12
Discontinued operations, basic (in usd per share)	0	1.57	0.23
Basic earnings per share attributable to CRH plc, net income (in USD per share)	4.36	5.15	3.35
Diluted earnings per share attributable to CRH plc
Continuing operations, diluted (in usd per share)	4.33	3.55	3.09
Discontinued operations, diluted (in usd shares)	0	1.56	0.23
Diluted earnings per share, net income (in USD per share)	$ 4.33	$ 5.11	$ 3.32
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share (in shares)	4,677,404	4,209,404	3,630,633