Maeve O'Connell (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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827. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to report on the work of the construction and green skills unit within his Department in implementing the Careers in Construction Action Plan. [27259/25]

Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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I would like to thank Deputy O’Connell for raising this important question and for the opportunity to update her on the work my Department is doing on delivering the Careers in Construction Action Plan.

Launched in 2023, this Plan is a key priority of my Department as it sets out strategic actions to promote inclusive, attractive, and sustainable careers in construction. In the context of achieving national housing and infrastructure targets, it is vital that more people are aware of the many and varied opportunities to work in the sector and see it as an attractive career option.

The Careers in Construction Action Plan outlines more than 20 actions across structural, promotional and training areas to address barriers to entering construction and boost sector attractiveness, especially for under-represented groups.

The Plan responds directly to findings from departmental research which identified persistent perceptions that construction is unsuitable for women, lacks flexibility, and has unclear progression routes.

To assist in the Plan’s promotional goals, a range of initiatives were delivered:

• A large social media campaign, Building Heroes, took a peer-to-peer approach to dispel the myths surrounding careers in construction.
• A documentary on careers in construction has been produced and shared with second-level schools nationwide.
• The National Apprenticeship Office’s Facts, Faces, Futures campaign promoted apprenticeships to girls.
• The Build Back Home campaign was aimed at skilled Irish construction workers living abroad, specifically in Australia and Canada, to encourage them to return home to take up employment in the construction industry in Ireland.

Progress in delivering the Plan includes:

• A 9% increase in the construction workforce (from 161,300 in Q4 2023 to 176,000 in Q4 2024);
• A 12% increase in construction and construction related apprenticeship registrations (from 5,628 in 2023 to 6,319 in 2024);
• A 58% increase in women in construction (from 11,400 in Q4 2023 to 18,000 in Q4 2024);
• Architecture and Construction third level courses up 22% in first preferences in 2025 CAO First Round;
• Inclusive leadership and mentoring programmes by CIF, Engineers Ireland, and others;
• New transition year work placements, iVET modules, and NZEB/advanced manufacturing tasters;
• The Building Heroes campaign, which reached 7 million people with 27 million impressions;
• Distribution of a careers documentary to all second-level schools;
• Expanded SafePass training for Ukrainians and “Women in Construction” regional events.

The revised Plan will introduce new actions which reflect evolving needs in the sector. These include:

• Embedding Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) into education and training pathways;
• Developing a pilot for construction training in prisons;
• Exploring parent-focused flexibility policies.

I would like to thank the Deputy for her question and her interest in the work we continue to undertake in delivering this important Plan.

Maeve O'Connell (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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828. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the date for the completion and publication of the report commissioned by the construction and green skills unit within his Department to identify existing skills and training targets, common skills requirements, and information gaps; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27260/25]

Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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My Department commissioned research in the first quarter of this year, the objective of which is to support the development of an integrated, cohesive and coherent national framework for meeting priority construction workforce needs.

This is to be achieved through a holistic review of priority construction and infrastructure workforce and skills requirements to support Government targets in relevant strategies, such as the Climate Action Plan, National Development plan and Housing for All.

An integrated examination of the relationship and interplay between often competing and sometimes overlapping construction skills and workforce demand is critical in order to best ensure delivery of national ambitions for housing, climate action and the NDP.

The research will also indicate where there are gaps in the available information.

In addition to assessing the balance between overall labour demand and labour supply for the broader construction sector, the research will examine actions to promote the growth and development of the workforce including through enhanced skills levels, greater innovative capacity and higher productivity.

The research is expected to be completed in the third quarter of this year, when the report will be made available for my consideration and subsequently published.

Maeve O'Connell (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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829. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to report on the progress of the delivery of the MMC Skills Action Plan; when he expects the plan to be finalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27261/25]

Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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I want to thank Deputy O’Connell for her question and for her interest in the Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) Action Plan.

The Action Plan was developed in consultation with industry, training providers, Departments and agencies. It aims to upskill current and future workers and ensure the construction sector is future-ready so that Ireland can meet its national targets in housing, infrastructure and retrofitting.

The Action Plan is a direct response to the 2024 report by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN), which identified the skills required to support the greater adoption of MMC in Ireland. The Action Plan outlines 58 actions aligned with the report’s 28 recommendations, structured under eight themes:

• senior management training,
• information sharing,
• labour retention,
• digital and AI tools,
• certification,
• early learning,
• policy levers, and
• training provision.

The successful adoption of MMC also requires transversal competencies such as leadership, management and collaboration skills. Increasing training delivery across these areas was indicated not only to improve outcomes in the MMC sector but to also enable successful transition between industries.

Importantly, the advancement of MMC is a clear and stated commitment in the new Programme for Government. The Government recognises MMC as a central pillar in achieving our housing and infrastructure goals. My Department collaborates with several Departments to support this, specifically the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The MMC Action Plan will support our collective ambition by helping to equip the workforce with the right skills to deliver modern and sustainable construction at scale.

The Plan is scheduled for launch on 9th June next.

I would like to thank the Deputy for her interest in the MMC Action Plan and for the opportunity to highlight just some of the work my Department is doing to advancing MMC skills.

Maeve O'Connell (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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830. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the progress of the establishment of an MMC traineeship, and if this traineeship will be available as expected in Q3 2025. [27262/25]

Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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I would like to thank you for your interest in the work my Department is undertaking to advance Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) skills.

Greater adoption of MMC, an umbrella term for a range of innovative construction processes, 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. An Update to the Report on the Analysis of Skills for Residential Construction and Retrofitting, published in October 2024, estimates that 10,000 fewer new entrants will be required in the sector if there is a widespread adoption of MMC. Ireland will need almost 69,000 new entrants, compared to almost 79,000 if we continue using more traditional building methods. A different skills profile is needed, as the Report outlines.

Advancing MMC is a key commitment in the Programme for Government and my Department works with sectoral partners such as SOLAS, Education and Training Boards (ETBs), the National Construction Training Campus (NCTC) and Skillnet Ireland to increase MMC skills supply through the tertiary system.

It is therefore important to note that there has already been a significant expansion of the education and training pipeline for MMC courses. For example, Skillnet Ireland and University of Galway recently 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.

Laois–Offaly Education and Training Board (LOETB), which operates the NCTC, is a key partner for MMC skills delivery. Last February, I was delighted to launch LOETB’s MMC Skills Pathway Portfolio.

My Department has also partnered with Skillnet to develop the ‘MMC Accelerate’ platform. This was launched on 21st May and highlights MMC projects and provides information on career pathways and education and training options.

With a comprehensive suite of accredited courses, flexible learning options and a pipeline of new qualifications, our delivery partners are ensuring that Ireland’s workforce is equipped with the skills and expertise needed to meet the demands of the evolving built environment.

Regarding traineeships specifically, such programmes play a vital role in our education and training system by providing structured learning which combines classroom-based learning with significant on-the-job experience. Developed in collaboration with employers and education providers, they are typically aimed at those aged 16 and over who are seeking to build job-ready skills in a specific sector. Traineeships offer a flexible, responsive way to prepare for work, support career progression and address identified skills gaps.

In the context of MMC, a traineeship is particularly valuable as it allows learners to gain practical experience in MMC and technologies in a real-world setting while simultaneously building their theoretical knowledge.

LOETB continues to make strong progress in advancing its suite of MMC programmes, including a Level 5 / Level 6 traineeship. Finalisation of the programme content is underway and the traineeship will launch in Q3 2025.

Thank you again for your interest in this important area as we continue to support the transformation of Ireland’s construction sector through the development of future-focused skills.

Maeve O'Connell (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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831. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to update as to when the scheduled review of the Careers in Construction Action Plan in 2025 will begin. [27264/25]

Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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I would like to thank Deputy O’Connell for her question and her interest in the Careers in Construction Action Plan, which is a key priority for my Department.

The Department chairs the Careers in Construction Working Group, which brings together key stakeholders from across Government, the tertiary education system, industry, and professional bodies. This group plays a central role in advancing the implementation of the Careers in the Construction Action Plan and ensuring its alignment with national policy priorities and related labour market needs.

The original Action Plan was informed by departmental research which identified key barriers to entering the construction sector, particularly for women, young people and other underrepresented groups. These barriers included persistent perceptions that construction lacks flexibility, clear career progression routes, and that the sector is not sufficiently inclusive.

The original Action Plan, launched in 2023, set out 20 targeted actions under the themes of structural, promotional, and training and upskilling. Key progress to date includes:

• A 9% increase in the construction workforce (from 161,300 in Q4 2023 to 176,000 in Q4 2024);
• A 12% increase in construction and construction related apprenticeship registrations (from 5,628 in 2023 to 6,319 in 2024);
• A 58% increase in the number of women working in construction (from 11,400 in Q4 2023 to 18,000 in Q4 2024);
• First preferences in Architecture and Construction courses up 22% in CAO First Round in 2025;
• Delivery of inclusive leadership and mentoring initiatives by partners such as CIF and Engineers Ireland;
• Expansion of Safe Pass training for underrepresented groups, including Ukrainians and women;
• Launch of the Building Heroes campaign, which reached over 7 million people with more than 27 million impressions;
• Development and distribution of careers documentary to all second-level schools;
• Enhanced second-level engagement, including an iVET transition year taster module.

The Department is currently preparing the second iteration of the Action Plan. This drafting process has involved close engagement with stakeholders across the tertiary education system, industry, professional bodies, and relevant Departments. It reflects new policy developments, labour market evidence, and the outcomes of previous actions.

The revised Action Plan will introduce new actions to address emerging priorities. These include:

• Embedding Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) into education and training pathways in line with this Department’s forthcoming MMC Action Plan.
• Piloting construction training in prisons;
• Exploring parent-focused flexibility initiatives.

The updated Careers in Construction Action Plan is anticipated to be published later this year.

I would like to thank the Deputy once again for her interest in this important area.