The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Building sector needs workers
THE lost generation of Construction workers has led to an urgent need for the industry to attract more talent to deliver Ireland’s housing and infrastructure needs according to the Construction Industry Federation
The CIF say the construction sector must work to attract over 112,000 workers into the industry between now and 2020 to ensure that Ireland can deliver on its housing and infrastructure targets.
According to a report from the Central Bank of Ireland, which was published on Friday one in two workers that lost their jobs in Ireland between 2007 and 2012 had previously been employed in construction.
However, while there has been a strong recovery in employment in other sectors, employment in construction remains far lower than it was in 2007.
The Central Bank of Ireland article “Where are Ireland’s Construction Workers?” by Thomas Conefrey and Tara McIndoe-Calder claims that the construction industry has regained less than a third of all the jobs lost during the crisis and suggests that a large proportion of construction workers, who lost their jobs during the crash, are likely to have emigrated.
The report also warns of an urgent requirement for a significant inflow of labour into construction as demand continues to increase.
“The CIF has repeatedly flagged the urgency for attracting new employees into the industry as well as encouraging those who may have left, to return to working in the Irish industry,” said CIF Director General Tom Parlon.
“The recent announcement of the National Planning Framework and National Development Plan is a potential game-changer for the Irish economy and society. The construction industry will be front and centre in its delivery. However, Construction companies face significant challenges in translating this into the much-needed housing, world-class infrastructure and the sorts of specialist buildings that underpin Ireland’s attractiveness for FDI,” Mr Parlon said.