120. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the current status of initiatives within his Department to support training, education, and research in modern methods of construction, including off-site and modular building; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6758/26]

I would like to thank Deputy McCormack for his interest in the area of modern methods of construction (MMC) and the work that my Department is undertaking to support training and upskilling in this area.

The greater adoption of MMC is a key pillar of the Government’s approach to increasing innovation and achieving productivity gains in the delivery of housing and infrastructure.

MMC is expected to significantly lessen the demand for workers in the construction sector. Research published in 2024 (Updated McGrath Report) estimates that 24% fewer additional workers would be needed to build new homes with an increased use of MMC.

The Report on a National Framework for Meeting Priority Construction Workforce Needs, which recently went to Cabinet, further underlines the productivity dividend in MMC.

To better understand the challenges of equipping the construction workforce to make the transition to MMC, a 2024 report by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) found that there is an increased emphasis on digital skills and techniques as well as offsite manufacturing and assembly. It also highlighted the need for the foundation skills from traditional construction to be preserved and enhanced. As a result, there is a growing need for cross-disciplinary skills that span both traditional construction practices and modern manufacturing and assembly techniques.

However, the majority of MMC companies in Ireland believe that the current workforce does not have a sufficient level of the required skillsets for the industry or is not aware of the transferability of their skills to an offsite setting. This skills gap was found by the EGFSN report to arise across the supply chain and across the seven categories of MMC.

A skills deficit in any or all parts of the supply chain will result in the benefits of MMC being curtailed. Thus, adapting the skills of existing and new workers for MMC is essential to support the transition.

The move to MMC and offsite manufacturing and assembly can also help facilitate the recruitment of skilled resources from across other industries, reducing reliance on a limited pool of skilled tradespersons willing to move from site to site. Additionally, skilled labour from other factory environments can be readily transferred to the offsite construction industry.

My Department developed and launched a cross-sector MMC Action Plan in June 2025 in response to the EGFSN report. The Plan outlines 58 actions across eight themes to address skills shortages and support the successful transition to MMC by adapting the skills of existing and new workers, across the supply chain.

It will develop digital skills as well as skills in logistics, supply chain management, and quality control within the factory setting, which will all be supported by transversal competencies such as leadership, management, and collaboration skills.

The plan is being implemented via EGFSN reporting mechanisms with the support of DFHERIS.

Another strand of my Department’s work on MMC is leading the development - in partnership with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment - of the National Demonstration Park for MMC at the National Construction Training Campus.

The Park will provide an accessible ‘flagship’ location for MMC demonstration in Ireland and specialist training towards emerging MMC skillsets. The breaking of the ground ceremony for the Park took place in June 2025.

DFHERIS also funds and supports Skillnet Ireland in the rolling out of its ‘Skillnet MMC Accelerate’ national digital platform. The platform highlights MMC projects, provides career pathways and education and upskilling provision. The platform was launched in May 2025 and is going from strength to strength.

My Department has been supporting the further education and training sector in developing new education and training pathways to MMC skills. Laois-Offaly ETB (LOETB) launched the MMC Skills Pathway Portfolio in February 2025. This suite of accredited MMC micro-qualifications covers zero emissions buildings, sustainability, digital technologies, and local authority-focused training.

LOETB are also developing an MMC traineeship and apprenticeship to offer learners an internationally recognised qualification in Core Construction Principles and MMC. The programmes will also focus heavily on Offsite and Alternative Construction Methods (Modular Assembly) and will feature Ireland’s first modular assembly training rig.

At higher education level, Skillnet Ireland and University of Galway have launched two innovative programmes designed to meet the evolving needs of the construction sector: a Level 9 Postgraduate Certificate in Modern MMC and a Level 8 Specialist Diploma in Automation and Control. Skillnet is also working with University College Dublin on the development of an MMC Senior Leadership Programme.

We have been supporting and engaging both the FET and HE sectors with regard to steps they can take to further embed MMC topics into construction-related course curricula. My Department hosted an MMC Education Forum on 15th December which was attended by FET and HE specialists and involved discussions around MMC provision and cross sectoral engagement.

Taken together, these strands of work are part of my Department’s highly targeted and cohesive strategy to prepare the workforce for the transition to MMC, and in so doing support the delivery of key targets under Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025-2030 and the National Development Plan.

Once again, I thank the deputy for his interest in MMC and the increasingly important role it plays in the construction sector.