139. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to detail his Department’s plans to address construction labour force shortfalls and the impact that will have on housing delivery; if he will consider a State construction company to increase to build public construction capacity to ensure Ireland has the workers needed to directly deliver affordable housing, attract skilled labour home from abroad and an expand of the use of modern methods of construction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37933/26]

I welcome the opportunity to set out some of the main actions led by my Department to help alleviate constraints that inevitably arise to meeting labour demand in a near full employment economy.

The job of addressing pressing skills needs must be a collaborative effort and my Department works with sectoral partners, such as SOLAS, the National Construction Training Campus, Skillnet Ireland, Education and Training Boards (ETBs), and industry representatives to increase skills supply.

The ongoing collaborative work in developing a sustainable construction skills pipeline can be broken down into three distinct strands. The first strand is our investment in the apprenticeship system.

Workers are needed across different skills levels, including apprenticeship. A Government priority is to ensure that the apprenticeship system is well equipped to continue to grow, respond to the skills needs of industry, and adapt to workforce challenges.

Budget 2026 provided a significant €79 million additional investment in apprenticeships. Since 2020, we have more than doubled the investment in apprenticeships.

The total number of apprentices in construction and related fields has grown by 57% between 2020 and 2025, from 14,567 to 22,807, while construction and related registrations across the same fields rose by 69%, from 3,813 in 2020 to 6,428 in 2025.

This underpins the value of this training route at a time of high employment and high demand for construction skills.

We are developing a new Action Plan for Apprenticeship which will have a headline target of 12,500 new apprentice registrations per year by 2030, two-thirds of which will be in craft and construction-related programmes.

The second strand focuses on advancing the use of modern methods of construction (MMC).

The Department of Housing, Local Heritage and Housing has noted reductions in delivery timeframes of up to 40%, greater cost certainty and reduced changes during construction, offering cost and time savings from MMC.

MMC is also expected to significantly lessen the demand for workers in the construction sector. Research published by my Department estimated that 24% fewer workers would be needed to build new homes with an increased use of MMC.

My Department are progressing several initiatives to support the workforce to transition to MMC. We are implementing a comprehensive, cross-sector MMC Action Plan. Developed with key partners, this supports the transition to MMC across the construction supply chain.

In the tertiary sector, the National Construction Training Campus, under Laois-Offaly ETB, has strategically pivoted its provision toward upskilling the existing MMC workforce and Tier 1 supply chains.

The Campus is developing a Level 5 MMC Installation and Assembly framework to address critical skills gaps across Insulated Concrete Formwork, Timber Frame, and Light Gauge Steel. Practical, hands-on learning for these courses will be hosted in the Campus's newly constructed Modular Assembly Training Space.

To eliminate identified pinch points and bridge the gap between advanced off-site manufacturing and traditional on-site installation, the Campus is deepening its engagement with Tier 1 supply chains to develop a bespoke Groundworks/Setting Out Programme.

Skillnet Ireland are focusing on MMC courses for senior leaders, with an MSc in MMC Leadership being developed with Technological University of the Shannon.

We have also developed a digital ‘one stop shop’ for all things MMC. The Skillnet MMC Accelerate national platform launched last year and highlights MMC projects, provides career pathways and education and upskilling provision.

An accessible flagship location for MMC demonstration and specialist training is also in development. It is expected that the National Demonstration Park for MMC, being built at the National Construction Training Campus, will have its first units onsite by the end of 2026.

The third strand relates to the promotion of careers in construction and minimising barriers to entry.

Research undertaken by my Department found a lack of knowledge and understanding about the construction industry and the roles available, a poor perception of the working environment as well as a perception that construction is not suitable for women.

In response, we implemented the cross-sector Careers in Construction Action Plan to minimise barriers, promote career opportunities, and make construction jobs more attractive to women. Between 2023 and 2025, the Plan would have had a contributory effect on a 66% increase in women in construction, 15% increase in first preference CAO choices for construction courses, and a 19% increase in the construction workforce. The Updated Careers in Construction Action Plan was published in January 2026, with 80% more actions than the original Plan. It is designed to continue to support efforts to increase the number of people employed in the construction sector.

We are reaching out to young people to show them the exciting reality of a career in this dynamic and diverse sector. Promotional activity has included the Building Heroes social media campaign, a documentary on careers in construction for second-level schools, and an MMC documentary hosted by Harrison Gardner which featured on Virgin Media One.

In addition, the Build Back Home campaign is targeting skilled Irish construction workers abroad, encouraging their return to support domestic construction. Starting in 2024, the campaign focused on Australia and Canada and used digital, social, and out-of-home media to maximise reach among Irish audiences overseas. Through the campaign, more than 142,000 people visited the government website to learn more about opportunities to “build back home,” with 95% of those visitors coming from North America, Canada, and Australia. The campaign is continuing in 2026.

Together, these three strands reflect the broad range of approaches and initiatives for expanding the skilled workforce, complimenting the vital role to be played by employers themselves in recruiting, retaining and upskilling their workforce.

Lastly, my Department has also published a new report, National Framework for Meeting Priority Construction Workforce Needs, which is a valuable tool in helping to consider the converging skills and workforce needs across several critical areas.

The report underlines our view that a coherent, whole-of-government response is required to address these challenges, especially in relation to prioritisation and sequencing of projects.