Minister James Lawless, of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, hosted the second National Skills Roundtable for construction and infrastructure at UCD's O'Connor Centre for Learning on 27 May 2026.

An advance informal survey of attendees — spanning construction companies, representative bodies and state agencies — found over 94% say workforce shortages in specific areas are affecting delivery, reinforcing the need to build on record Government investment in apprenticeships and skills.

Respondents highlighted that rapid technological change is reshaping requirements, with growing demand for AI, digital engineering, Building Information Modelling (BIM) and systems integration expertise. Widespread shortages were also reported in engineering roles, trades — particularly wet trades such as plastering, blocklaying and tiling — as well as surveying and planning, alongside a critical shortfall of mid‑career professionals with 5–10 years' experience.

Industry leaders welcomed substantial progress in expanding apprenticeships and skills investment, while stressing that further scaling, modernising of training, and joint efforts to better promote construction careers will be essential to meet mounting workforce needs.

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The roundtable built on prior enterprise and ministerial engagement, bringing together stakeholders from industry, Government, and the education and training system to share insights and identify potential actions to address sectoral skills challenges. Discussions drew on inputs submitted in advance on current and emerging gaps, measures already underway, and barriers within the existing system.

Speaking at the event, Minister Lawless said: "Strong and sustained engagement with industry is essential to ensuring our skills system is delivering for a rapidly evolving construction sector. Today's roundtable is a key part of that, giving us direct insight from employers on where the pressures are and how we respond effectively.

"The Government is making record investments in the skills economy. In Budget 2026, I allocated €79 million for apprenticeship delivery, bringing total investment to €415 million, more than double the level in 2020. We now have 87 apprenticeship programmes available across the country, opening up more opportunities than ever before to build careers in construction and beyond."

Emphasising delivery and next steps, the Minister continued: "Our focus is on turning that investment into real capacity on the ground, increasing apprenticeship registrations, expanding training provision, and ensuring programmes are aligned with the needs of modern construction, including digital and emerging technologies.

"There is strong alignment across industry, education providers and Government, and we will continue to work in partnership to ensure we have the skilled workforce needed to meet Ireland's housing and infrastructure ambitions."

Minister Harkin said: "A strong and sustainable economy depends on the timely delivery of housing and critical infrastructure.

"With apprenticeship participation increasing, we are building real momentum in developing skills pipelines. Sustaining this progress will depend on maintaining capacity, strengthening supports, and expanding pathways into the sector.

"I am confident that a continued, coordinated approach across Government, industry and the further education and training system will ensure that we can meet the scale of delivery needed in the years ahead."

Outcomes from the session will feed into ongoing cross‑Government work to bolster skills provision across construction and infrastructure. In recognition of the scale and pace of change shaping Ireland's economy and future skills needs, further sector‑focused roundtables will take place in the coming months.