3 days ago
Plan to slash number of workers needed for housing targets through modern methods of construction
The number of workers needed to deliver around 50,000
houses
per year could be slashed by as many as 10,000 under plans to ramp up training in modern methods of construction (MMC), the
Government
believe.
The Coalition is hoping that productivity gains from using MMC to deliver buildings like modular units can reduce the number of workers needed to achieve
housing targets
.
The Programme for Government target is for an average of more than 50,000 homes a year to be delivered every year between now and 2030.
A recent Department of Further and Higher Education report on residential construction and retrofitting skills suggested that to meet such a target just under 80,000 construction workers would have to be recruited.
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However, under a scenario using more MMC the number of required workers to meet that target was projected to decline by around 10,000.
Minister for Higher Education James Lawless will release an action plan aimed at delivering thousands of workers skilled in MMC on Monday.
He said the plan 'marks a big shift in how we deliver construction in Ireland, faster and smarter with the skills to match.'
Mr Lawless said: 'Housing demand will continue to intensify and meeting that demand means building differently and building better. That's what this plan enables.'
The plan includes upskilling initiatives, new training pathways, and the development of skills such as digital proficiency, logistics, and quality control to support factory-based and off-site construction.
Mr Lawless said: 'Modern Methods of Construction offer a faster, more efficient, and more sustainable way to build. By moving much of the process off-site into factory settings, we can dramatically reduce build times, ensure quality, reduce waste, and lower costs over a projects life cycle.'
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Minister for Housing James Browne said: 'It is critical we have the top quality people to deliver on what we have to build. That's needed quickly and it has to recognise the skill of this work.'
A spokeswoman for Mr Lawless said the action plan 'lays the groundwork to significantly increase the adoption of MMC, through expanded training provision, new accredited courses, a dedicated traineeship starting later this year, and practical on-site training at the National Construction Training Campus in [Co Offaly]'.
She said: 'Through this co-ordinated approach, a path is available for thousands of learners to gain the modern skills needed'.
Last week Taoiseach Micheál Martin turned the sod on a new headquarters for CPAC Modular in Dunshaughlin, Co Meath.
Mr Martin said MMC will play an 'increasingly important role' in house building, in particular in reaching the 50,000-per year new-builds target.
Housing delivery will have to increase significantly from the 30,330 dwellings completed during 2024 if the Government is to deliver on its pledge to deliver more than 300,000 by the end of 2030.
