Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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1160. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated number of construction workers required annually to meet the housing delivery targets in Delivering Homes, Building Communities; the current size of the construction workforce; and the projected shortfall. [63920/25]

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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1161. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the apprenticeship intake and completion figures for construction-related trades in 2023 and 2024; the expected intake for 2025; and how these figures align with the workforce required to meet annual housing targets. [63921/25]

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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1162. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated construction workforce required in Cork city and Cork county to meet regional housing targets under Delivering Homes, Building Communities; the current workforce level; and the actions planned to bridge any shortfall. [63929/25]

Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1160, 1161 and 1162 together.

Firstly, in terms of the workforce required to meet annual housing targets.

My Department published An Update to the Report on the Analysis of Skills for Residential Construction and Retrofitting in October 2024. Recognising the report relied on workforce data from 2022, and considering the increased investment in the apprenticeship system in particular in the past couple of years, a new report has been commissioned. This new report will analyse workforce supply and demand across the construction sector and is due to be published shortly.

Please note that the new report will consider the construction workforce on a national level rather than on a local or regional basis.

In terms of the apprenticeship system, workers are needed across different skills levels and the apprenticeship model is an invaluable part of the overall tertiary response to these requirements.

My Department has secured an additional €79 million investment in apprenticeships through Budget 2026, the highest investment in core apprenticeship funding since the Department’s formation. Since 2020, we have more than doubled the investment in apprenticeships – increasing funding by 122% - bringing the total annual current budget to over €410 million.

Recognising the importance of incentivising employers, we introduced an employer grant of €2,000 per year for consortia-led apprenticeships. We also introduced a gender-based bursary of €2,666 which is available to employers who hire apprentices in programmes where there is greater than 80% representation of a single gender.

The sustained focus on this area in recent years has already seen positive results.

The number of construction and related apprentice registrations in 2023 and 2024 were 5,794 and 6,319 respectively, representing an increase of 9% across this period. The construction and related apprentice population was 20,219 at the end of 2023, and 21,895 at the end of 2024, an increase of 8%.

These figures reflect a strong and consistent increase in the numbers joining the construction-related apprenticeship system over the past number of years, as well as a rise in the construction-related apprentice population.

To illustrate further, the total number of apprentices in construction and related fields grew by 50% between 2020 and 2024, from 14,567 to 21,895, while construction and related registrations across the same fields rose by 66%, from 3,813 in 2020 to 6,319 in 2024.

The figures to date in 2025 for both construction-related apprenticeship population and registrations are broadly on track to maintain this growth trend.

3,196 certificates were issued to Construction and related apprentices in 2024.

With 31 construction-related apprenticeship programmes now in place, and more in the pipeline, we’re offering clear, skilled pathways to joining this vital sector.

Next year will see the launch of the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2026-2030. A key commitment in the Programme for Government, it will have a headline target of 12,500 new apprentice registrations per year by 2030, and two-thirds of these will be in craft and construction-related programmes. The Department will be launching a public consultation shortly to seek the views of all stakeholders on how the apprentice system can be improved, made more inclusive, and better aligned with national skills needs.

To further support this momentum, a concerted effort is being made to attract more people into the trades and other construction roles through cross-partner campaigns.

Research undertaken by my Department found a lack of knowledge and understanding about the 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, the Department is implementing the Careers in Construction Action Plan, which comprises 20 actions that relate to structural, promotional, and training activities to minimise barriers, promote career opportunities, and make construction jobs more attractive to women.

Several key industry and education partners are collaborating with my Department on updating the action plan, with the new plan set to be published in the coming weeks.

Among the actions are several campaign initiatives supported by the 2024 and 2025 Housing for All Implementation Fund. These include the Building Heroes peer-to-peer social media campaign and a documentary on careers in construction for second-level schools, both of which include young role models from the trades, as well as the Build Back Home campaign aimed at Irish construction workers abroad. The National Apprenticeship Office also runs the Facts, Faces, Futures campaign which highlights the growing participation and leadership of women in apprenticeship.

I am particularly pleased to report that the Building Heroes campaign is going from strength to strength. The first phase of the 2025 campaign, with almost 100 pieces of content across social media, has exceeded targets for engagement with a 23% increase in followers across all platforms. There have been almost 8,000 engagements, an increase of 140% per post compared with 2024. Phase two of this year’s campaign kicked off at WorldSkills in October.

My Department also works with the Department of Social Protection on the Future Building Initiative. Through the initiative Intreo, SOLAS and Education and Training Boards of Ireland have formed a dedicated cross-functional team to support recruitment and training across the construction sector. The team collaborate closely to drive progress in recruitment for training courses, apprenticeships and jobs.

Together, these activities reflect a broad range of approaches and initiatives aimed at encouraging more uptake in construction apprenticeships, supporting the vital work undertaken by employers.

I remain committed to ensuring that the apprenticeship system is robust, responsive, and ready to meet the evolving skills needs of Ireland’s economy.