Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 January 2024
343. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science what role his Department can play in easing the labour shortage in the construction sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49042/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraA key government priority is to increase the number of people employed in the construction sector. This is essential to the Government meeting its ambitious targets under Housing for All.
The CSO Labour force survey of Q3 2023 shows when compared with pre-Covid levels of Q3 2019 the total employment in the sector has grown by 17,600. The Department works with sectoral partners such as SOLAS, to increase skills supply through the current network of skills provision available across the tertiary education system in order to tackle climate and housing issues. We are expanding the number of apprentices we train. There is a significant expansion of the education and training pipeline for construction-related courses. Development processes are in place for employers/sectors who wish to assess the potential for new apprenticeships. In recent years, annual intake in construction and construction-related apprenticeships has steadily increased. As of the end of December 2023, there have been 4.946 registrations on construction programmes and 848 registrations on construction-related programmes. Overall that is a 3% increase of registrations on 2022’s figures. This year the construction and construction related apprentice population has surpassed 20,000 for the year, again an increase on 2022’s figures.
Increased funding for apprenticeships increases the total capacity of the apprenticeship system and will reduce the time that apprentices wait for training. Budget 2024 provides €67m (€57m in core funding and €10m temporary) which will provide core investment into the apprenticeship system, and allow craft apprenticeship to continue to grow.
The Report on the Analysis of Skills for Residential Construction & Retrofitting 2023–2030 outlined our labour market requirement at over 50,000 new entrants into the construction sector for that period to meet our housing and retrofitting targets. This Department has put reporting and monitoring arrangements in place to ensure we are providing the appropriate skills response. In total there were 23 actions to be delivered on the report. The actions established the pathways to implement NZEB/retrofitting provision and training and begin the process of introducing MMC.
In particular the recommendations and actions arising from the report allowed us to look at recruitment. In August 2023, the Department published the Careers in Construction Action Plan. Its purpose is to explore the barriers to a careers in the construction sector in Ireland. The 20 actions in the plan are aimed at minimising barriers to construction careers, promoting career opportunities and making construction jobs more attractive to women. This involves changes in the sector, training and upskilling, and promotional activity. To assist in the promotional goals of the Action Plan, funding has been granted for a number of initiatives under the 2024 Housing for All Implementation Fund including a peer-to-peer social media campaign to recruit young adults to the sector and a documentary on working in the sector.
In terms of innovation, the greater adoption of MMC would be expected to lessen the projected increased need in labour demand so it is imperative that we continue to invest in projects such as National Demonstration Park in Mount Lucas.
With the Government’s commitments to Housing for All and the initiatives provided by the Department and partners, there are clear pathways to a career in construction, which will help to continue to promote opportunities in the sector.
