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Builders can deliver on national development plans, but to do so they need certainty of government commitments on investment, says Hubert Fitzpatrick of the Construction Industry Federation (CIF). To tell.
The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) said on Friday that the government may need to accelerate work on the national development plan, but the republic does not have the resources to do so.
But CIF executive director Mr Fitzpatrick insisted the industry could deliver, but would need a “clear pipeline” of projects to be able to invest in the resources needed to build the infrastructure.
“Government's commitment to investing in national development plans is critical to ensuring that investment and growth in this sector is supported,” he asserted.
Mr Fitzpatrick welcomed ESRI's call for expanded housing targets. To meet these needs, he stressed, infrastructure such as transportation, schools, hospitals and public works is needed.
He said he was confident the industry would have enough workers to complete national construction projects.
“145,600 people were employed in the construction sector in 2019, increasing to 167,400 by the third quarter of 2023,” he noted.
“Despite a difficult year including COVID-19, the industry workforce grew by approximately 22,000 people.”
Fitzpatrick said the industry needs workers, but the demand is not insurmountable.
“A clear pipeline of work is important to attract employees and give them confidence that they can build their future,” he stressed.
The CIF chief pointed out that in 2023 alone, 6,500 new apprentices were registered and more than 23,000 were trained.
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