Minister James Lawless
Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
The Housing for All plan is currently being reviewed by the Government to assess how we can better deliver more houses.
Ireland has built 130,000 homes from 2020-2024, the highest since 2008. Despite progress, more efforts are needed to help individuals and families access housing. The Government remains committed to this challenge.
Urgent need for construction skills
Policies, incentives and initiatives will go only so far if we don’t have enough skilled construction workers to bring our plans to reality. That’s where my Department comes in.
The latest study shows Ireland needs almost 79,000 additional people working in the residential sector by the end of the decade. While this figure could decrease by 10,000 if there is widespread adoption of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), it remains a significant challenge.
What a modern career looks like
The first step is to dispel the myths about what a career in construction is. We need to inform people about how it has changed and modernised at a rapid pace in recent years.
It is no longer just muddy boots in a field. There are now exciting jobs in the sector that did not exist a decade ago. Government commitment to build more homes means careers will also be sustainable into the future. There also remains an impression that a job in the sector is better suited to men when, in fact, it is inclusive and accessible to everyone.
It is no longer just muddy boots in a field.
There are now exciting jobs in the sector
that did not exist a decade ago.
Campaigns showcase construction careers
Last year, my Department launched promotional initiatives to tackle these misconceptions. For instance, the Building Heroes campaign featured 12 young people training or working in construction, sharing their experiences on social media and in a short film shown in schools nationwide. Another international campaign aimed to encourage skilled Irish construction workers living abroad to move home.
The Department will continue similar campaigns in 2025, with increased focus on raising awareness about the incredible opportunities in off-site construction, otherwise known as MMC.
Boosting construction career awareness
These promotional activities, coupled with financial incentives to encourage employers to take on apprentices, are having an impact. Last year, we saw a 10% increase in the number of people registering for construction courses. We must continue to boost these figures and encourage more people to study other areas, such as MMC, planning, engineering, architecture and Building Information Modelling (BIM) technology.
Ireland needs to build more homes. So, we need to make certain the exciting and innovative career opportunities available in construction are widely known.
