Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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97. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to provide an update on the recent meeting of a group (details supplied); if there is a work plan for this group for 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16112/25]

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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I seek an update on the recent meeting of the construction sector group, whether there is a work plan for this group for 2025 and if the Minister will make a statement on the matter. This takes in all the construction stakeholders. We could have an over-and-back discussion concerning the 40,000 houses last year, but the fact is there was a failure to deliver that number. We are where we are, so how do we get beyond this point? We have all talked about new methods of construction, but much of this has been just talk. In some instances, we are still talking about pilots.

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The construction sector group was set up in 2018 by my Department. The group ensures regular and open dialogue between government and industry on how best to achieve and maintain a sustainable and innovative construction sector positioned to deliver on the national development plan and Project Ireland 2040. It is made up of representatives of key industry bodies, as well as senior representatives of relevant Departments and agencies with responsibilities for policy and for the delivery of infrastructure. It is chaired by the Secretary General of my Department.

The construction sector group currently meets quarterly, with the most recent meeting of the group having taken place on Tuesday, 28 January 2025. The group discussed the following items at the meeting: an update on the work of the construction sector group innovation and digital adoption subgroup, procurement reforms, the Planning and Development Act 2024, construction skills and apprentices and an update on Project Ireland 2040 provided by the National Investment Office. A work programme for the construction sector group in 2025 has been developed by my officials following consultation with industry representatives and it will be formally noted at the next meeting of the group. Over the course of 2025, meetings of the group will focus on the following four priority themes: improving regulation and public procurement, supporting innovation and digital adoption, securing the skills pipeline and communicating the public investment pipeline. There was broad agreement among group members on these priority topics for inclusion in the 2025 work programme.

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Can more detail be provided on those discussions? We have all heard about the issues that exist in this area. The Minister mentioned the need to ensure we have an adequate workforce pipeline. We know there are constraints now. Additionally, how much conversation was there concerning new methods of construction? We have recently seen 3-D concrete printing and several such houses have been built in Muirhevnamore, Dundalk. While that is not a solution to the housing problem on its own, it is part of a solution along with modular construction and all those other methods. We have seen major development companies being able to use timber frames and so on to do things on a massive scale. Talking to developers, though, the issues are still going to centre on planning. In dealing with the State, the issue will be the multiple planning constraints. Beyond that even, it is going to be about the obstacles in the way of drawing down funding. If we could get some more detail, we might be able to see that we are going to get beyond our constraints. This is before we talk about the ESB or Irish Water.

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The latest meeting of the construction sector group received an update on some of what the Deputy mentioned. This included the proposed research on a pathway to having a 30% embodied carbon reduction in the construction sector, the development of a modern methods of construction data dashboard, which is nearing completion and the collaboration between Dublin City Council, DCC, and the Build Digital Project to progress the building information modelling in DCC. There was also reference to the Department of Education modular builds programme. Construct Innovate workshops are happening across March and April this year to align with that centre's next funding call to members. A call for proposals was also launched by Skillnet Ireland as a way to address the cost of training. A training needs analysis workshop was co-hosted with the Construction Industry Federation. The Build Digital Project was restructured into a thrive-up structure from quarter 2. There has, therefore, been engagement on what the Deputy referred to regarding modern methods of construction and that is a central focus. All this needs to lead to more supply, which is key.

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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It would be very useful to have a greater level of detail regarding the issues they put out there with the planning system and infrastructural obstacles and the workforce piece, and then if there is a timeline and even projections. While I accept that some of this will involve public works and we will also have works that happen in the private sector, it is what we are looking at even percentage-wise as regards using some of these new methods of construction. Many of us come into this Chamber and end up talking about the absolute crazy rents, people who find themselves in brutal situations as regards evictions and the issues we have with the new constraints around the tenant in situ scheme. While we see that there have to be some temporary solutions in the sense of a ban on any increases with regard to rents, we need to be able to increase supply. If we have all the stakeholders in the room, it is vital that we know what the actual constraints are, some of which we have heard ourselves, and then those solutions and whether there are timelines and projections.

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The construction sector group is doing an element of that in the context of construction skills. The Planning and Development Act was obviously discussed, and modern methods of construction as well as other priority areas, which I have referenced, around digital adoption and productivity in the construction sector. However, a separate very serious piece of work is ongoing in the Department on establishing a new infrastructure division. That is all about removing the constraints, barriers, blockages and paralysis that exists in too many elements of the State when it comes to infrastructure delivery and housing supply in our economy. Its central focus will all be on that and how we match the increased level of ambition on capital investment in our economy with a very systematic view taken on all of the delays, which are just unacceptable. Across the House, all of us want to see investment leading to the project delivery happening in a much quicker and accelerated way. The whole focus of the infrastructure division is to do that centrally so that we try to unblock some of the delays that have been going on for too long.