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A '12 Steps for 20,000 Construction Jobs' guide has been published by the Construction Industry Federation (CIF).
The guide aims to encourage politicians to take actions which could improve construction employment throughout the country.
The guide, which will be circulated to TDs and Senators, outlines how 20,000 additional jobs could be created in the industry.
The measures are:
• Implement the Construction Contracts Act (which was signed into law by President Higgins in July 2013).
• Complete the review of the Public Works Contracts and implement the required changes
• Enact legislation which will allow for a Registered Employment Agreement (REA)/ Registered Employment Order (REO) for industrial sectors
• Provide incentives to employers to take on apprentices
• Advance critical infrastructure projects
• Increase capital spending
• Reduce bundling of public projects
• Progress non banking finance for development capital
• Publish and enact the Planning and Development (No. 2) Bill 2014
• Reduce the tax and regulatory costs in construction
• Put CIRI on a statutory basis
• Extend and amend the Home Renovation Incentive scheme
CIF Director General Tom Parlon said: "The politicians have the power to take a number of simple steps that would have a major impact on the construction industry and the creation of jobs. Our hope is that this guide will help highlight some construction issues to Ministers, TDs and Senators over the remaining months of this Oireachtas term. The steps we have outlined are all realistic, achievable and in line with the State’s broader policy agenda. They can be easily implemented during 2015, so long as the political will is there to support them. Most of them have already been flagged by the Government as being measures they were working towards.
"There is considerable scope for the construction industry to be creating vast numbers of jobs over the coming years. However the industry needs sustained activity if there is to be a substantial increase in the number of jobs created. The pickup in construction activity we have seen over the last 20 months has primarily been concentrated on the Greater Dublin region. If we want to see more job opportunities regionally around the country involving the many different construction disciplines then further action needs to be taken."
