The Construction Industry Federation (CIF) is urging the government to set up a small builders fund to put the construction industry on a "sustainable footing".

The CIF said it will enable regional builders to deliver the essential housing and infrastructure required to deliver targets in the Government's jobs, regional development, housing and FDI strategies.

Amongst the recommendations made in the Pre-Budget submission the CIF again highlight the paucity of significant infrastructure projects in the near term. The industry has stated that initiating planning stages for major projects now would enable a quicker turnaround to the benefit of Ireland's rapidly growing population and economy.

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CIF Director General, Tom Parlon said: "We need to establish a National Infrastructure Commission with responsibility for analysing the long-term infrastructural needs of the Irish economy and society, which will depoliticise infrastructure policy. DKM's analysis showed only €350million available for new construction of infrastructure up to 2019. All stakeholders now believe that the Government has capacity to invest more to the benefit of the economy and long-term job creation. Ireland is currently last of the EU27 in terms of this type of investment, spending less than 2% of GDP on infrastructure. We must increase the rate of investment to 4% of GDP over the period 2018-2021."

According to the CIF, the commencement of planned contributions of €500 million per annum to the 'Rainy Day Fund' in 2019 should be redirected to investment in infrastructure for the period to 2021.

The CIF is also calling on the government to retain The Help to Buy (HTB) scheme, a significant contributor to the recent growth in residential construction activity.

(CD/LM)