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).
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."
The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD has today published the social and affordable housing delivery statistics for Quarter 1 2024, indicating gathering momentum in the delivery of social and affordable housing.
The Social and Affordable Housing data sets can be accessed here: Overall social and affordable housing provision
3,270 housing supports were delivered in Q1 2024. This included 720 new social homes – a mix of 158 new-build homes, 330 acquisitions and 232 homes delivered through leasing programmes – as well as supports via the Housing Assistance Payment (2,175) and Rental Accommodation Scheme (375).
With regard to the delivery of social housing new builds by local authorities, traditionally a significant part of this delivery occurs in the second half of the year. For example, last year 83% of all new-build delivery occurred in the second half of the year (6,717 homes) with 67% of that year’s output arriving in Q4 alone (5,472 homes).
The strongest national delivery of social housing since 1975 was recorded in 2022 when 10,254 homes were delivered and this record was exceeded again in 2023 when 11,938 new social homes were delivered by local authorities and AHBs. The strength of the current pipeline indicates that 2023 delivery will be surpassed this year.
The Department has also published the Construction Status Report (CSR) for Q1 2024 today. The CSR provides scheme-level detail on new-build social housing activity and is published on the Department’s website. This is sorted by local authority, and gives a list of the individual projects that make up the new build programme for that local authority (excluding Local Authority Part V delivery). The data can be accessed here: Social Housing Construction Projects Status Report Q1 2024
The latest Construction Status Report shows that 9,179 social homes were on site at the end of March with an additional 15,848 homes at design and tender stage. In Quarter 1 2024 alone, 121 new construction schemes (2,595 homes) were added to the pipeline.
Minister O’Brien emphasised today that his Department has worked individually and collectively with the Local Authority sector to remove blockages to this essential delivery, including:
Minister O’Brien noted the strength of the social housing pipeline with just over 25,000 new homes either on site or at design and tender stage.
The Minister stated:
“It is clear to see that record investment under Housing for All is bearing fruit in a robust delivery pipeline and a strong momentum is growing. It is very apparent that the ability of local authorities to build social housing on their own land - in alignment with their Housing Delivery Action Plans - is pivotal to achieving cost-effective delivery at the scale required under current and future projections. We are working closely with them to ensure they can deliver on their full potential.”
In Q1 2024, over 1,000 affordable housing supports have been delivered via Approved Housing Bodies (AHB), Local Authorities, the Land Development Agency (LDA), the Cost Rental Tenant-in-Situ (CRTiS) scheme, the First Home Scheme, and through the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant.
Affordable housing delivery increased by 59% compared to the same quarter last year, further demonstrating the consistent year on year growth in delivery since the launch of Housing for All.
The First Home Scheme in particular continues to be a key support for first-time buyers. By the end of Q1 2024, over 4,000 First Home Shared Equity Scheme approvals have issued since its launch in July 2022, with 75% of all approvals issued in Dublin, Cork, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow. Over 800 approvals were issued in Q1 2024 alone, the highest of any quarter since the scheme launched.
Minister O’Brien pointed out:
“I was happy to mark the second anniversary of this scheme last week and to highlight its crucial importance for many first-time buyers and other eligible homebuyers in purchasing new houses and apartments in the private market. I understand that by the end of Q2 this year over 4,850 approvals have issued under the scheme – underlining its continuing popularity. New revised price ceilings in relation to 14 local authority areas came into effect at the beginning of this month and creates the potential to assist even more potential homeowners”.
The data published today also includes the Q1 affordable housing output. Overall, over 4,200 affordable homes (affordable purchase and cost rental) in 21 local authorities have been approved for delivery, supported by €369m in grant assistance from the AHF.
To date, over 850 Local Authority Affordable Purchase homes have been delivered and the affordable purchase delivery pipeline continues to grow from strength to strength with over 3,000 affordable purchase homes approved for support under the Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) across 21 local authority areas. Of these, 1,850 affordable purchase homes have already been advertised in Carlow, Cork City, Cork County, Clare, Dublin City, Fingal, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Louth, Limerick, Meath, South Dublin, Waterford, Westmeath and Wicklow.
In relation to Cost Rental, to date there are over 1,750 Cost Rental homes in the State delivered by Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), Local Authorities, the LDA and through the Cost Rental Tenant in Situ (CRTiS) scheme.
In terms of AHB delivery, over €730m has been approved under the Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) to assist in the delivery of over 3,600 Cost Rental homes across 14 local authority areas.
There is a further pipeline of nearly 1,200 local authority Cost Rental homes, supported by the AHF, (including 50 homes already delivered at Enniskerry Road and 22 homes at Ballynanesagh, Waterford) across 14 projects.
In addition, to support households at risk of homelessness, 135 bids have been accepted as part of the CRTiS scheme to end of Q1 2024 since launch in April 2023.
Further progress is being made by the Land Development Agency (LDA) to provide affordable and social housing through their market engagement initiative, Project Tosaigh, and through their work developing relevant public land.
The LDA made further progress advancing affordable and social housing delivery through Phase II of Project Tosaigh by establishing a framework panel consisting of 15 of Ireland’s largest and most experienced homebuilders to accelerate the delivery of affordable homes. Under Project Tosaigh the LDA is targeting 8,000 homes by 2028 and currently on track to deliver 5,000 of these homes by end 2026.
Real progress is also being made on transferring lands to the LDA and constructing homes, including:
There is also a very strong pipeline of homes being delivered both on State lands and also in partnership with Local Authorities on lands like Shanganagh in Dun Laoghaire which will see its first delivery this year.
The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, introduced in July 2022, is part of a range of initiatives to address vacancy and make bringing existing properties back into use more affordable.
To the end of Q1 2024 (since its launch), over 4,250 applications were approved for the grant, with 250 grants paid out to successful applicants on the completion of refurbishment works. Q2 2024 statistics are due to be published in the coming week with the number of grant approvals expected to reach over 5,400 with the number of grant drawdowns expected to be in excess of 480.The level of drawdown is expected to ramp up significantly this year as more works are completed.
Commenting on the progress made on affordable delivery in 2023 and anticipating delivery this year, Minister O’Brien emphasised:
“Many of our affordable housing measures are brand new but are already having a significant impact. The affordable housing delivery programme is now picking up pace and will continue to be expanded and developed by all delivery partners in 2024 and beyond.
“Government measures - such as the increased financial support for delivery of Cost Rental homes by Approved Housing Bodies through the revised Cost Rental Equity Loan, the Secure Tenancy Affordable Rental scheme, and recently approved Local Authority Purchase and Renovation Loan – will significantly help us to to address viability challenges in the sector, activate uncommenced sites for the provision of affordable housing, as well as addressing vacancy.
“I am determined that this momentum will continue and that we will continue to maintain our rigid focus on creating a healthy pipeline of affordable housing delivery - developed and expanded by our partners in the local authorities, AHBs and the LDA.”
The construction industry is undergoing a significant transformation as it embraces renewable technologies to create more sustainable and eco-friendly buildings. Renewable construction technologies not only help reduce the environmental impact of building activities but also contribute to long-term energy savings and healthier living environments.
The adoption of renewable construction technologies is essential for creating sustainable, energy-efficient, and environmentally friendly buildings. By integrating these technologies into the construction process, we can reduce the industry's carbon footprint, conserve natural resources, and create healthier living and working spaces. As these technologies continue to evolve, they will play a crucial role in shaping the future of construction and promoting a more sustainable built environment.
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The sod has been turned on Diageo’s new €200 million state-of-the-art carbon neutral brewery in Littleconnell, Newbridge, Co. Kildare. The new facility will brew lagers and ales including Rockshore, Harp, Hop House 13, Smithwick’s, Kilkenny and Carlsberg. With a capacity of 2 million hectolitres, it will be the second largest brewing operation in Ireland after St. James’s Gate and support the future growth of Diageo Ireland’s beer brands.
The state-of-the-art brewery will be powered with 100% renewable energy and will harness the latest process technology to minimise overall energy and water consumption. The target date for the brewery to begin production is 2026 and it will facilitate the growth of overall beer exports from Ireland. It will also facilitate enhanced capacity for the production of the fast-growing Guinness 0.0 at the traditional home of Guinness at St James’s Gate in Dublin.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and TD for Kildare South, Martin Heydon, joined senior leaders for the turning of the sod event in Littleconnell, to express the Government’s full support for the brewery that will support up to 1000 jobs both onsite and offsite during the construction phase of the brewery. The new brewery has also received crucial support from the IDA and Enterprise Ireland.
Colin O'Brien, Category Head – Global Beer Supply, Diageo said, “Following the announcement of our plans to construct this new brewery in 2022, we are delighted to have reached this significant landmark through the beginning of construction works. As a global business this new brewery is a major development for Diageo in Ireland and around the world. It helps us continue to produce some of the world’s most recognisable beer brands and sets new standards for sustainable production in keeping with our ‘Society 2030: Spirit of Progress’ commitments to become net-zero in our direct operations’’
“I want to thank the Government, the IDA, Enterprise Ireland, and the local community for the support they have given the new brewery to date, and I look forward to the first lagers and ales being produced here in two years’ time.”
Minister of State for Agriculture and TD for Kildare South, Martin Heydon, said: “This €200m investment by Diageo is hugely important and is great news for Ireland’s food and drink industry and also for the local economy and community here in Kildare. I want to thank Diageo for their commitment to the local area and for the jobs and activity that this new brewery will generate.”
Jenny Melia, Executive Director, Enterprise Ireland, added: “Enterprise Ireland is committed to supporting companies in the transition towards a low-carbon economy, and we are delighted to work with Diageo on this important development; a state-of-the-art carbon neutral brewery, that will be powered by 100% renewable energy. Diageo continues to show leadership in investing in the highest sustainability standards, and this new brewery will make an important contribution to the local economy, supporting value added exports, creating high quality jobs.”
Sonya Kavanagh, Chief Executive of Kildare County Council said “Kildare County Council is delighted that construction work and the development of this new brewery in Littleconnell is now underway. The County Council has worked closely with Diageo on this project that will provide employment for and investment in the local community in Newbridge and throughout Kildare. It is a real vote of confidence for the entire county to have such a major company that produces iconic brands locating a brand-new facility here in Kildare.”
Dublin ranks as the second most expensive city for building apartments in Europe, just behind Zurich, according to a new report by Trinity College Dublin and the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland. The Building Homes Report, which surveyed ten European cities, revealed that the construction cost in Dublin is €2,363 per square metre, exceeding the average of €2,057 per square metre.
Zurich tops the list with a cost of €2,866 per square metre, while Tallinn in Estonia is the least expensive at €1,367 per square metre. Belfast, notably, is the second cheapest, with construction costs at €1,755 per square metre.
This report, the first to use International Construction Management Standards V3 (ICMS3), compares construction costs using a 'travelling box' method. This method prices a specific apartment block of 39 units across different cities, holding nearly 80 elements constant to allow for a systematic cost comparison.
The study identified three cost groups. The first group, with Zurich alone, has significantly higher costs. The second group, with costs above average but closer to it, includes Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Dublin, and Stockholm. The third group, with below-average costs, includes Amsterdam, Belfast, Brussels, and Tallinn.
Ronan Lyons, Associate Professor of Economics at Trinity College Dublin and one of the report's authors, emphasized the high construction costs in Dublin as a significant barrier to new housing supply. He noted that while structural work costs are lower in Dublin compared to other cities, services and equipment, along with non-structural works, drive up the overall costs.
The analysis suggests that material costs vary less across cities than labor-intensive inputs, indicating that labor costs and productivity are key factors in the differences in construction costs. Despite being geographically close, Dublin's costs are notably higher than Belfast's, prompting a need for further analysis into regulatory specifications, standards, and soft costs.
Bryn Griffiths, Vice Chair of the SCSI Quantity Surveying Professional Group Committee, highlighted that structural, non-structural, and services and equipment costs make up two-thirds of construction costs, with soft costs contributing another 25%. He suggested that differences in architectural design and planning policies also impact costs and called for more flexibility and standardization to reduce expenses.
Griffiths also pointed out that Ireland's relatively low VAT rate on new construction partially explains cost differences with Belfast. He urged the Government to explore new models for delivering zoned and serviced development land and to consider further standardization and research to reduce costs and improve the viability of new housing projects.
The report aims to provide a baseline for future cost comparison exercises, potentially expanding to other cities and property types to enhance the understanding of construction costs and improve housing affordability.
The full report, 'Building Home: Apartment construction costs in Europe with a focus on Dublin', can be read here.
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The Build 2024 - Construction Sector Performance and Capacity report has been published.
The report provides a comprehensive insight and a number of key findings into various aspects of the construction and built environment sector including costs, planning, skills, productivity and sustainability.
The report highlights a variety of positive trends in the construction sector in 2022 and 2023, including:
The report also outlines a number of initiatives that the public and private sectors have underway to increase the efficiency and productivity of the construction sector as it responds to the significant challenges of recent years, such as COVID-19 restrictions, inflationary pressures, and supply chain disruptions.
Furthermore, inflationary pressure is easing across many construction materials and the number of apprentices in the construction sector exceeded 20,000 in 2023, which is ensuring that the pipeline of skilled workers in the sector continues to grow.
Project Ireland 2040 necessitates a competitive, dynamic and sustainable construction sector capable of delivering new social, economic and climate resilient infrastructure. To achieve this outcome, the construction sector must foster an innovative and sustainable approach capable of meeting the needs of our growing population.
Publishing the report,Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, Paschal Donohoe TD said:
“Build 2024 shows that collaboration between the public and private sectors continues to increase the efficiency and productivity of the construction sector. It is vital to maintain the existing momentum and focus on measures that can assist in removing bottlenecks to delivering on the priorities outlined in the National Development Plan (NDP).
“This report provides an evidence base that will enable approaches such as Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) to increase the output of the construction industry. Evidence suggests that an MMC approach to building has the potential to increase the speed of delivery of new homes, reduce costs, and advance improvements in quality and energy efficiency.
“Government is investing €165 billion up to 2030 under the NDP, and this report provides a very useful insight into the trends and initiatives underway to increase productivity through innovation and digital adoption to meet our NDP delivery ambitions.”
P J Rudden, Chair of the CSG Sub-Group, stated:
“I welcome the Build 2024 Report, which builds on our increasing innovation and digital adoption ambition to accelerate delivery in design and construction of projects. We have included Building Information Modelling (BIM) in the scope of consulting services for major project values of €100 million and more since 1 January 2024. Over the next four years, BIM requirements will cascade down to projects below €1 million. BIM delivers projects to a higher quality and safety level, reduces waste and can deliver projects in a more timely manner.”
You can read the report here Build 2024 - Construction Sector Performance and Capacity .