The Construction Industry Federation (CIF) has hailed the latest increase in construction employment, saying it is a sign of the “growing vitality” in the sector. According to the latest CSO Quarterly National Household Survey, employment in the construction sector grew by 6,100 in the last quarter (Q3).
Total construction employment now stands at 112,400, up from 106,300 at the end of Q2. During the course of the year, the construction sector has seen employment grow by 10,100. Total construction employment levels had stood at 102,300 at the end of Q1 2014.
“These are very positive figures and they highlight the improved performance of the construction industry this year,” said CIF Director General Tom Parlon. “Having a jump of over 6,000 jobs in a single quarter is a real sign of the growing vitality of the construction sector. We have been saying for years the quickest way to create jobs was to generate construction activity. We are now seeing that idea being borne out.
“Former construction workers still account for the largest portion of unemployed people in this country. Every time a construction job is created it is taking people off the dole, with the minimum of fuss. At this stage there are still a large number of former construction workers who can move relatively seamlessly into full time employment with little retraining required. As the sector advances this will not always remain the case but for the time being there are still a lot more unemployed construction workers who will be able to get back to work quickly if activity in the industry continues to increase.
“Last year we estimated that an additional 10,000 construction jobs would be created in 2014 and that figure has been reached even before the final quarter. This is happening despite the fact that house building activity is yet to pick up. There is substantial additional scope for creating construction jobs if the blockages to residential activity are removed and we start building the sustainable number of housing units this country requires,” Mr. Parlon concluded.
