Ireland Needs 80,000 Additional Workers to Deliver Housing and Infrastructure Ambitions 

Ireland Needs 80,000 Additional Workers to Deliver Housing and Infrastructure Ambitions 

Ireland is facing a significant challenge: to deliver on its goal of 50,000 new homes each year and complete key National Development Plan (NDP) projects, the country needs around 80,000 new construction and infrastructure workers

 

A Labour Shortage Bottleneck

The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) reports that Ireland is running close to full employment. As a result, reaching the housing goal of 50,000 units annually would require approximately 40,000 extra construction workers, with a further 40,000 needed to complete NDP infrastructure work.

These demands are compounded by significant delays in public infrastructure development, meaning housing completions are being held up because necessary services like roads, water and power aren’t ready.

 

Housing Targets Falling Behind

• In 2024, Ireland delivered 30,330 homes, missing its target by about 10,000 units 

• Forecasts for 2025 suggest only 33,000 homes will be built, while 2026 is expected to reach around 37,000, both falling short of the 50,000‑home ambition .

 

Capacity Concerns

ESRI research director Alan Barrett warned that Ireland is no longer limited by funding but by labour capacity, saying it’s nearly “inconceivable” to find such a large workforce in the short to medium term. He highlighted that the NDP covers large-scale investment through to 2030, but without addressing labour constraints, delivery will remain unattainable.

Economist Conor O’Toole added that resolving capacity shortages in public services and homes is essential to sustain long‑term economic growth.

 

Potential Solutions – But No Quick Fix

• Immigration could help fill worker gaps, but O’Toole emphasised it's not a guaranteed solution 

• Attracting international construction firms might bring in both experience and workforce.

• Adopting modern techniques - such as modular construction and advanced technologies - can boost productivity and reduce labour needs

Still, ESRI remains pessimistic, expecting only c.33,000 homes in 2025 and about 37,000 in 2026, well below targets 

 

Industry Disputes the Report

The Construction Industry Federation (CIF) dismissed the labour shortage claim as “misguided”, arguing the issue stems from planning delays and infrastructure uncertainty, not workforce numbers .

CIF’s Conor O’Connell insisted:

“The construction industry has the workforce, skills and proven ability to scale up … What’s lacking currently is certainty and confidence in a reliable pipeline of work.” 

He called on government to unlock land, speed up planning approvals and guarantee long-term funding for vital infrastructure.

 

What This Means for Breagh Recruitment

• Recruitment focus: There's a growing demand for skilled tradespeople, site managers, quantity surveyors and site engineers

• Upskilling & modern methods: We should emphasise recruitment in modular construction and innovative delivery methods to build capacity.

• Talent diversification: The scope exists to assist clients with immigration-based hiring and attracting international talent.

 

Source: Based on “Ireland needs 80,000 new workers to reach housing and infrastructure targets, ESRI says” from The Journal, 26 June 2025