The Government has welcomed the publication of the Forfás report on Ireland's construction sector and announced a plan to improve the levels of activity and employment in the sector.

A sustainable construction sector supports development across the economy but evidence suggests that there has been an overcorrection in relation to its size and contribution to the economy and to job creation.

Announcing the range of Government measures, Taoiseach Enda Kenny said: "The decline in the construction has taken an unprecedented toll on jobs in the sector. We are not going back to the days of an artificial and unsustainable property bubble. But there is clear room for greater levels of activity and scope to create jobs for many who have the skills, the experience and the desire to play their part in Ireland's recovery.

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"In rebuilding a sustainable construction sector we also have to confront its deficiencies which tolerated poor standards through a weak regulatory and enforcement regime. There is no silver bullet but there are lots of individual measures we can implement which, taken together, can make a real difference. Greater coordination of activity, tackling the shadow economy, improving regulatory compliance, a better planning regime and upskilling for new activity can all play a part in increasing the number of jobs in the sector."

(CD/JP)