The Irish construction sector will need to add between 95,000 and 110,000 additional workers to meet Government housing targets, according to an industry report.
Property Industry Ireland (PII), the Ibec trade association representing the property sector, has published a new skills report examining the future workforce requirements for housing and critical infrastructure.
The report said a severe skills shortage, an ageing workforce and persistent challenges in attracting new talent threaten the construction sector’s ability to meet future demand.
The sector, which employs more than 177,600 workers, has approximately 54,400 fewer workers than at its 2007 peak, a deficit exacerbated by the exodus of talent following the 2008 financial crash.
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Furthermore, 20 per cent of the current workforce is expected to retire within the next decade. Beyond general labour shortages, worker retention is further challenged by uncertainty surrounding project timelines.
“Our 2030 goals – such as the delivery of 300,000 new homes – cannot be achieved solely through reforms in the Government’s housing strategy or new allocations under the National Development Plan,” said PII director David Howard.
Roughly 25,000 new workers per year are needed to deliver the “unprecedented pipeline” of investment planned between now and 2030, according to the report.
“The sector is currently exporting trained talent to international markets where project returns are higher,” it said. “A commercially sustainable procurement environment is essential to attract this ‘travelling resource’ back to Ireland.”
The report also criticises the “stereotype” of the industry as “physically arduous, unstable, and unsuitable for women, deterring young people, parents, and guidance counsellors from seeing it as a viable career path”.
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Furthermore, it said a lack of project certainty, caused by “inefficient planning and procurement systems” hinders long-term investment in skills and technology.
Part of the solution, it argued, will be to house the inward migration of workers given the shortage of accommodation on locations where the construction needs are greatest.
“To overcome these hurdles, a multifaceted approach is required,” the report said. “The public sector providing a clear and certain project pipeline with firm timelines.
“Reforming training and apprenticeship models to attract more candidates and accelerate their entry into the workforce.
“Expanding visa programmes to attract international talent for all construction roles ensuring that critical skills list contains all trade skills.”
The report also called for an acceleration of the implementation of Government commitments to drive the adoption of modern methods of construction.
It said the industry will begin a targeted campaign to showcase Ireland’s projects, career prospects and “exceptional quality of life”, ensuring a “welcoming environment for the international talent our sector needs to thrive”.
“Addressing these issues is a national imperative,” it said. “The recommendations outlined provide a roadmap for Government and industry to collaborate on building the skilled workforce required to secure Ireland’s future prosperity.”
