Two Irish projects and three multi-country projects involving Irish partners have been selected to receive funding from the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility for Transport (CEF Transport).
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
Build Digital and the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) are partnering to host an in-person event for clients (particularly public sector) and their supply chain.
Thu, 17 Oct 2024 09:30 - 15:00 at Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Cork
This conference will inform the attendees on the Building Information Modelling (BIM) mandate for the Capital Works Management Framework (CWMF) that came into effect in January 2024.
At the conference, the attendees will be informed of Build Digital’s supports for working in accordance with ISO 19650 and all other elements of the mandate, (Uniclass Classification, Industry Foundation Classes (IFC), International Cost Management Standard (ICMS).
The CWMF BIM Mandate Conference which is being held on the 17th of October 2024 at the Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa in Cork, will provide expert and practical advice on how to achieve the mandate in your organisation and on your projects.
FRS Training offers a wide range of QQI accredited training programmes nationwide.
Responding to the training needs of Irish Industry FRS Training offer industry leading construction skills and health and safety courses, including safe pass, forklift training, manual handling, CSCS, train the trainer, to the wider public who wish to broaden their career or personal development.
Horticulture skills training, including plant care and maintenance, horticulture tools and equipment, machinery operations and maintenance, and pesticide handing and application courses are widely available throughout the country.
Agricultural training, including atv/ quad driving, farm safety training, tractor driving skills, safe handling of chemicals are offered by expert training consultants who can assist you with your farm assessment and safety statements.
Our clients include Corporate Businesses, Industrial Companies, Community Employment Schemes training and Individual People who want to upskill. FRS has been serving customers since 1980 and has changed and adapted to meet market demand.
Search our full range of courses on our website or call one of our sales team to discuss your questions and needs. Our courses are continuously developing and we believe that there is always a requirement to self-improve, develop new skills and try something new. We are here to bring you through that journey and find the right course to meet your needs.
FRS Training is part of the FRS Network. FRS Network is a co-operative organisation established in 1980 for the provision of skilled people to meet customer requirements. Through growth and diversification FRS has expanded into five distinct divisions intrinsically linked through the supply of expertly skilled people – Farm Relief Services, Fencing, Training, Recruitment and Herdwatch. Providing the people you need when you need them…
A new report from the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs highlights the importance of accelerating the adoption of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) as a means of boosting housing supply and improving productivity and efficiency in the construction sector.
The report identifies the nature of the skills needs of enterprises supporting the transition to MMC in the coming decade and offers recommendations to address them. The report’s recommendations aim to support the sector as it evolves, ensuring that a robust and resilient workforce is available with the appropriate skills to facilitate the transformation.
Across eight inter-related themes, 28 recommendations have been identified requiring collaboration across Government, industry, and the education and training system in order to be successfully actioned. The eight themes cover a range of areas including:
The EGFSN will work with the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science as they lead on the development of an Action Plan which will take the report’s recommendations and detail how they can be delivered. The EGFSN Secretariat will oversee the implementation of these actions over the next two years.
Read the full report here: Skills for Modern Methods of Construction.pdf (size 14.9 MB)
In response to critical & proven skills needs in the construction and the built environment sector, University of Galway has developed a suite of courses in construction innovation including a free taster session
Learn more at -bit.ly/3Wbq90Y
https://www.nightcourses.com/blog/part-time-courses-micro-credentials-at-university-of-galway/
Safety First: Lessons Learned from Mission Critical Projects takes place on July 30, 2024 02:00 PM.
Up to 75% of construction incidents occur because hazards weren’t identified early enough to prevent or mitigate risks. With this in mind, the CIF is facilitating a panel-style webinar with Hammertech, featuring insights from leading commercial contractors who have enhanced their safety programmes with practical strategies and tactics.
An expert panel will share insights from mission-critical projects like data centres, where safety demands are exceptionally high.
Panellists: • Daragh Earle: Group QEHS Programme Manager • Dan Aspeling: Health, Safety and Environment Director • Chris Gitch: Safety Technology Consultant
What You'll Learn:
• Understand the rigid safety requirements and demands of mission critical projects
• Discover industry leading safety tactics that can help contractors improve safety performance
• Explore real-world examples of safety tech conquering extreme challenges in mission critical environments
IRELAND'S CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING SECTORS' UPCOMING
JOBS & RECRUITMENT EVENT
RETURNS TO THE RDS IN 2025
This Introduction to Process Measurement course will provide an insight to industrial instrumentation application, selection, calibration, and maintenance. It is an introductory course that will focus on the most relevant techniques and instrumentation used to measure pressure, temperature, level and flow and how these critical measurements interface with the overall control system.
Start Date & Time:
09:00 Thursday, 29 August 2024
End Date & Time:
17:00 Thursday, 29 August 2024
This is a virtual classroom in which participants will require access to a webcam and microphone for live sessions with the trainer throughout the day. Participants will receive a login code via email. The course will be delivered between 9:00 and 17:00 with running order and break times outlined in advance.
As with the traditional classroom delivery of our courses, class sizes are limited to allow opportunity for all delegates to participate
This course will provide an insight to industrial instrumentation application, selection, calibration, and maintenance. It is an introductory course that will focus on the most relevant techniques and instrumentation used to measure pressure, temperature, level and flow and how these critical measurements interface with the overall control system.
Delegates will gain a better understanding of industrial instrumentation performance characteristics and how it relates to the overall control system performance.
The primary objective is to give each delegate a fundamental knowledge of the basic principles of industrial instrumentation. It will focus on the definitions and application of various industrial instrumentation of the four major measurement areas.
The secondary objective is to give the delegate an overview of the fundamentals of the control loop and look at the complete control loop hardware.
The course will cover, but is not limited to:
Introduction to process control
The process control loop
Introduction to the control loop documentation
Hazardous areas and equipment selection
Pressure measurement
Temperature measurement
Level measurement
Flow measurement
Communication protocols such as HART and Fieldbus
Difference between DCS, PLC and SCADA
Wireless Instruments
Installation and operation of Instrumentation
This course is focused to the needs of chemical, instrumentation, maintenance, and mechanical engineers and technicians working with pumps across the biopharma, food, water and wastewater, chemical and power generation sectors.
Trainer's Profile
Ger Nagle
Gerard Nagle has previously worked for Emerson Process Management with extensive experience with Fisher control valves. He also has extensive experience with Farris pressure relief valves. Currently, Gerard is a lecturer in TU Dublin in the department of Mechanical Engineering. He lectures modules on Fluid Mechanics and Unit Operations. Gerard has a M.Sc. in Process Systems Engineering from Cranfield University.
IRELAND'S CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING SECTORS' UPCOMING
JOBS & RECRUITMENT EVENT
RETURNS TO THE RDS IN 2025
This will see more than €112m of EU funding invested in transport infrastructure projects that support Ireland’s connectivity and enhance the safety, sustainability and digitalisation of our transport systems. The Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) for Transport is the EU funding instrument that supports the development of the trans-European transport (TEN-T) network.
Dublin Port Company, Ireland’s largest port handling over 50% of national port tonnage, has been selected to receive a total of €73.8m towards key components of its 'MP2' Project which will increase berth capacity to handle projected future demand for Roll-On Roll-Off (RoRo) freight. This will meet the needs of economic growth, Ireland’s rising population, and operator demand for new RoRo services and larger vessels on direct services to Europe.
The funding will support the construction of two inter-dependent berths, totalling 572 metres, Berth 52 and Berth 53, at Terminal 5 at the eastern end of the North Port. They will include double tier linkspans, as well as infrastructure for the installation of onshore power supply for ships while berthed in port. The berths are designed to cater for the largest in class Ro-Ro vessels of up to 240m length.
The MP2 Project is the second core strategic project in the company’s Masterplan 2040. It focuses on the use of existing port lands in the north-eastern part of the Port estate. When complete, it will provide additional capacity for almost one-third of the projected increases in Dublin Port’s Ro-Ro and Lo-Lo (load on, load off) traffic to 2040.
The Port of Cork Company, the second largest port in the State, has been selected to receive a total of €38.4m for the construction of two quay berths at the Port of Cork’s Ringaskiddy deep water port, Ringaskiddy East - Cork Container Terminal Berth Extension (CCT2) comprising a 200m extension to the existing container berth and the construction of Ringaskiddy West - Deepwater Berth Extension (DWB) comprising a 182m extension to the existing DWB. Onshore power supply infrastructure will be installed at both berths.
This project will see enhanced safe and reliable maritime access while providing essential infrastructure to meet the needs of the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) industry.
The Port of Cork’s new Cork Container Terminal (CCT) at Ringaskiddy costing €94m was officially opened in September 2022. This project was also supported by CEF funding.
Three multi-country consortium projects that included Irish partners were also selected to receive funding, including the ‘Clean ATM 2’ and ‘Green CNS’ air navigation and traffic management projects.
The Department of Transport/Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) are among the participants in the C-Roads European ITS Platform for roads, a platform project supporting the deployment of harmonised cooperative intelligent transport systems (C-ITS) services on roads across Europe.
Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan welcomed the news saying:
"It is good to see the award of significant CEF funding for projects at Dublin Port Company and the Port of Cork Company. Both port companies are designated as Tier 1 Ports of National Significance under National Ports Policy and as ‘Core ports’ on the North Sea – Rhine – Mediterranean and Atlantic European Transport corridors. It is vital that our ports develop modern, smart, sustainable, and resilient transport infrastructure for the economy, for connectivity and as vital hubs for our renewable energy transformation.
"The Port of Cork’s project will be capable of facilitating the Offshore Renewable Energy Industry with full planning permission already in place while both Dublin Port’s project and the Port of Cork’s project also encompass plans for providing infrastructure for the installation of onshore power supply showing how vital they are to our energy future."
Reacting to the news, Minister of State James Lawless said:
"As an island nation, sufficient capacity and the efficient and seamless operation of our ports are indispensable for the success of Ireland’s importers and exporters.
"In line with the National Development Plan (NDP) objectives and National Ports Policy, these multi-million infrastructure developments by both Dublin and Cork Port Companies will enhance Ireland’s capacity and connectivity and will allow the ports to respond to market needs, handle increases in ship sizes and frequency and serve the trading needs of the economy."