The Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) has officially released the RIAI Construction Contract 2025, developed in partnership with the Construction Industry Federation (CIF) and the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI). The new editions replace the 2017 RIAI Articles of Agreement and mark a major step toward fostering collaboration and modernising contract practices across Ireland’s construction sector.
The 2025 Construction Contract reflects years of consultation, review, and advocacy to create a more balanced, transparent, and efficient framework for project delivery. Designed to align with the complexity of today’s planning, design, and construction processes, the new contract aims to promote sustainable, high-quality outcomes in both public and private projects.
The RIAI ‘Yellow’ and ‘Blue’ forms of contract remain recognised as industry standards for private works, now updated to reflect contemporary construction realities. The 2025 versions are the product of extensive dialogue within the Liaison Committee for the Construction Industry, which includes representatives from the ACEI, CIF, Engineers Ireland, and SCSI.
The latest contracts incorporate a host of structural and procedural improvements. Clauses have been reorganised into clearer, more logical groupings, while the former “Appendix” has been replaced with “Contract Particulars,” now placed at the front for greater accessibility during formation and execution. New provisions also account for selected and nominated sub-contractors, contractor design responsibilities, professional indemnity insurance, and limitations on liability, ensuring clarity and fairness for all parties.
Further updates include specific timescales for notices, a feature that provides greater contractual certainty and reflects evolving best practices in project management.
The launch event brought together key representatives from Ireland’s construction and engineering sectors, including Sean Mahon FRIAI, RIAI President, Andrew Brownlee, CIF CEO, Dermot Durack, SCSI Fellow, Damien Owens, Engineers Ireland Director General, and Eddie Comerford from the ACEI, alongside the RIAI leadership team.
The 2025 Editions and associated forms will be available in paper copy from the RIAI Bookshop and as online digital fillable forms using the RIAI Documents Online platform (available to RIAI members only) which may be downloaded in PDF format and subsequently printed in hardcopy if required. The Guidance Note is available free. Refer to the Conciliation Guidelines here. For contract licensing enquiries, please write to the Registrar: info@riai.ie and for purchase enquiries write to the Bookshop at bookshop@riai.ie.
This new suite of contracts represents a significant milestone for Ireland’s construction industry, setting a fair, modern, and collaborative standard for delivering the built environment in the years ahead.
Speaking at the launch, RIAI President Sean Mahon FRIAI said:
“The RIAI Construction Contract is considered the industry standard and is supported by the constituent bodies of the Liaison Committee for the Construction Industry. It is based on extensive consultation and research and reflects a more collaborative way of delivering our built environment. With the ongoing need to deliver homes and essential infrastructure to support our society and economy, including workplaces and production sites, this contract has been designed to deliver a more efficient and collaborative process for all stakeholders.”
Speaking on behalf of the SCSI, Dermot Durack, a Fellow of the SCSI and Chair of CIArb Ireland, said:
“The modernisation of the RIAI Contract template, with its focus on reducing the need for user amendments and recognising the realities of sub-contracting and contractor design is a positive step forward. SCSI is pleased to endorse the contract, and I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our chairperson of the Liaison Edits Sub-committee, Mark McGreevy as well as our other Quantity Surveying Representatives Aiden O’Neill and Joe Boyle.”
Paul Sheridan, Director, Main Contracting at the CIF said:
“The CIF welcomes the publication of the new form of RIAI 'Blue' and 'Yellow' form of contract. The new form reflects the modern and contemporary practices in our industry today and introduces new innovative provisions that will provide greater clarity and balance around the duties and obligations of the contractual parties. We extend our thanks to the Liaison Committee, along with the Chair of the Edits Committee, Mark McGreevy, who was supported by the excellent work of Danyal Ibrahim MRIAI. We hope that the new form will be adopted quickly and widely by clients and their construction teams.”
