The Construction Industry Federation has responded to the phasing out of the waste recovery and landfill levy exemptions for construction and demolition waste, which will come into effect on 1st September 2024.
Hubert Fitzpatrick, Director General of the Construction Industry Federation said: “It is a shared objective of both government and industry to reduce construction waste. The federation is fully supportive of the circular economy and the principal of sustainability across the construction industry. We look forward to engaging with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications on the further implementation of these measures in the months ahead.”
The ending of exemptions will be rolled out in four phases, commencing on 1st September 2024. Transitional provisions apply to mitigate costs enabling the industry to adapt new procedures to utilise byproduct classification as appropriate.
Hubert Fitzpatrick said: “An exemption will remain in place to support brownfield development, benefiting from existing infrastructure. This approach is consistent with Ireland’s latest National Development Plan, which prioritises brownfield development within the context of sustainable urban growth and environmental protection. We will continue to engage with the Department and the Environmental Protection Agency to address any issues arising from these changes and to explore further opportunities for enhancing construction circularity.”
The Department of Social Protection is hosting an Employer Roadshow for Construction Employers on Tuesday September 10th in the Strand Hotel, Limerick.
The objective is to provide information on the services and supports that employers can access when growing and/or retaining their workforce. Information on the newly launched Employment and Youth Engagement Charter, and the schemes and financial supports available will be provided.
Registration can be made by clicking here
Join the Energy, Environment and Climate Action Division and the Roads and Transportation Society for a free webinar on Decarbonising Ireland’s Railways on Wednesday, 4th September at 6:30pm in Clyde Road (and online).
Iarnród Éireann’s corporate Climate Action Plan 2023 to 2030 sets out how to achieve emissions reductions of 51% by 2030.
The ambitious plan will be delivered while rail services are expanded, with passenger journeys of 80 million per annum targeted by 2030, up from a pre-COVID high of 50.1 million journeys.
In this fascinating presentation you will learn about the Company’s ambitious investment programme to develop and decarbonise Ireland’s heavy rail network to achieve these targets through various programmes and projects including:
Iarnród Éireann’s Climate Action Plan 2023 to 2030 has set a bold target: to reduce its emissions by 51% by 2030.
While the plan is ambitious, it also presents challenges. These include the significant investment required for electrification, the need to overcome infrastructure constraints, and the ongoing task of managing a complex supply chain. However, these challenges also present opportunities for innovation and collaboration with other stakeholders in the transport sector.
Iarnród Éireann's Climate Action Plan is a testament to the company's commitment to sustainability. By setting ambitious targets and implementing innovative solutions, the company is paving the way for a greener future for Ireland. As the plan unfolds, we can expect to see significant changes in the way we travel by rail.
Read full details of Iarnród Éireann’s Climate Action Plan.
RTE is reporting that "70% of young people in Ireland have considered a job in construction industry"
The percentage comes from a survey carried out by (Ireland's leading builders’ merchants, Chadwicks.
The findings show that a significant 70% of people aged 16-24 have considered a career in the construction industry. Moreover, an overwhelming majority of parents of young adults (85%) recognize the advantages of a career in construction for their children. Notably, more than two-thirds (67%) of these parents expressed that they would be pleased if their child chose to pursue a career in this sector.
You can read the report here.
The RIAI Conference 2024 at the RDS Dublin takes place on 9 -10 October 2024.
This is the largest architectural networking event in Ireland and an unmissable date in the diary for the built environment sector.
This year’s theme is #Cities, putting a spotlight on the opportunities and challenges for our cities, with shared experiences from some of the most renowned Irish and international thought leaders.
This year, the RIAI Conference will be focusing on #Cities to identify innovative solutions for the challenges we are facing, including climate resilience, affordable housing and sustainable transport.
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has been released Business in Ireland 2022 – Summary Results.
In 2022, the Construction sector in Ireland presented an intriguing dynamic within the Structural Business Economy. While it accounted for the largest number of active enterprises, totaling 77,676, which represented 20% of all enterprises, its economic output was relatively modest. Specifically, Construction enterprises generated less than 4% of the total turnover and contributed almost 3% of the total Gross Value Added (GVA).
Despite its substantial share of businesses, the Construction sector was only the fifth-largest in terms of employment, with a total of 198,109 persons employed, making up 9% of the workforce. This contrast highlights the unique nature of the sector: while it includes a large number of small enterprises, its overall contribution to the economy, in terms of turnover and value added, is smaller compared to other sectors. This underscores the importance of the Construction industry in terms of enterprise activity and employment, even though it operates on a relatively smaller scale economically compared to sectors with higher value output.
Ireland is grappling with a severe housing crisis, primarily driven by a widening gap between population growth and construction rates. The nation's rapid population increase, fueled by both natural growth and immigration, has outpaced housing supply, leading to escalating property prices and a shortage of affordable homes.
Ireland has experienced a significant population surge in recent years, driven by economic growth and a rising birth rate.
Business Plus reports that an Analysis by Savills estate agents warns that construction cannot keep up with the ever-growing population, as 3.8 people are added to the population for every new housing unit delivered.
The report warns: "This is by far the worst among the countries analysed and 14% higher than the next-worst country, Spain, which saw 3.4 new people per one new unit delivered."
Other factors have also contributed to this crisis:
The consequences of this housing crisis are far-reaching:
Addressing Ireland's housing crisis requires a multi-faceted approach:
While there are no easy solutions, addressing the housing crisis is imperative for Ireland's long-term prosperity and social well-being.
The headline seasonally adjusted BNP Paribas Real Estate Ireland Construction Total Activity Index posted just fractionally below the 50.0 no-change mark at 49.9 in July.
The reading was up from 47.5 in June and signalled a near-stabilisation of activity.Housing activity increased for the fifth consecutive month, and at a solid pace that was the fastest since April.
Meanwhile, commercial activity was broadly unchanged following a sharp reduction in June.A key positive from the latest survey was a marked expansion in new orders which was the sharpest since February 2022.
New business has now risen in five successive months.Companies responded to higher workloads by taking on additional staff, the eighth consecutive month in whichthis has been the case.
That said, the rate of job creation was only marginal and the softest in the current sequence of rising employment.Firms also expanded their purchasing activity, both in response to higher new orders and to replenish stocks.
The solid increase in input buying was the fastest in 28 months.Input costs meanwhile rose sharply, with the pace of inflation remaining above the series average despite easing slightly from that seen in June.
Commenting on the latest survey results, John McCartney, Director & Head of Research at BNP ParibasReal Estate Ireland, said:
“July was another positive month for residential construction with activity expanding for the fifth month in succession – the first time this has happened in over two years.Looking at the mid-term report card, new dwelling completions fell by 8.6% in H1. This means 20,700 units need to be delivered in the second half for the Government’s target of 33,450 completions to be met - an 11% increase over H2 2023. Given that the number of units under construction in Dublin was down 13%year-on-year as we entered 2024, this would appear to be quite challenging. Nonetheless, commencements have picked-up sharply in recent months and the increased activity indicated by the PMI points to stronger output ahead – although it may be 2025 before the recent surge in early-stage construction yields a material uplift in completions.”
The CIF Annual Conference Summit takes place on 24th September 2024 at Croke Park, Dublin. The event will explore the construction industry’s key role in building for a growing nation and how the sector can scale up to drive Ireland’s development.
Elevating Ireland: The Vital Role of Construction in Building Sustainable Growth
Policy Development and Implementation
Construction and Society
Innovation and Technology in Construction
Education and Professional Development
