Earnings per share (EPS) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2024	Sep. 30, 2023	Sep. 30, 2024	Sep. 30, 2023
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Net income	$ 1,389	$ 1,318	$ 2,812	$ 2,499
Net (income) attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interests	(9)	(9)	(21)	(21)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(4)	(3)	(2)	(1)
Adjustment of redeemable noncontrolling interests to redemption value	(23)	(6)	(30)	(18)
Net income attributable to CRH plc for EPS, basic	1,353	1,300	2,759	2,459
Net income attributable to CRH plc for EPS, diluted	$ 1,353	$ 1,300	$ 2,759	$ 2,459
Weighted average common shares outstanding, basic (in shares)	681,600,000	718,200,000	685,000,000.0	731,800,000
Effect of dilutive employee share awards (in shares)	3,900,000	3,900,000	5,000,000.0	4,800,000
Weighted average common shares outstanding, diluted (in shares)	685,500,000	722,100,000	690,000,000.0	736,600,000
Earnings per share attributable to CRH plc, basic (in USD per share)	$ 1.99	$ 1.81	$ 4.03	$ 3.36
Earnings per share attributable to CRH plc, diluted (in USD per share)	$ 1.97	$ 1.80	$ 4.00	$ 3.34
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share (in shares)			3,919,037	5,336,581