The Guaranteed Irish Construction Forum 2025, held under the theme Built in Ireland, Powered by Purpose: Connecting Construction, Facilities and Energy, brought together leading voices from across construction, facilities management, and energy to address the challenges — and opportunities — facing Ireland’s built environment. Members of the panel included Orlaith Blaney, Executive Director Uisce Eireann, Michael Hynes, CEO Evara, Dan Twomey, MD Cork Builder Providers, Cathal Ceo, Kingspan, expertly chaired by MC Sarah Carey of the Irish Independent.
A closed roundtable discussion hosted by Minister of State John Cummins, Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage, with special responsibility for Planning & Local Government and ten invited Guaranteed Irish House members allowed an open conversation on zoning issues, viability of apartments v’s house builds, capacity at Uisce Eireann and ultimately value for money for taxpayers.
Guaranteed Irish House is a trusted ecosystem of licenced businesses in the construction sector, supporting each other in their supply chain. Members and attendees at the forum demonstrated how a resilient Irish supply chain can deliver more than just homes and infrastructure. By investing locally, creating jobs, and driving sustainability, members are strengthening communities and building long-term economic resilience.
The expert panel spoke on several issues at the forum with a large group of sector relevant attendees. Guaranteed Irish members called for:
- Housing Activation unit should meet weekly
- A ‘heat map’ showing where land is serviced by water and energy so it can be prioritised for zoning
- tax incentives will be necessary to make apartments economically viable
- regulations must be simplified and streamlined for smaller builders
- Irish Water needs multi-annual funding
- apprenticeships must be encouraged
- regional inclusion – imperative to get increase housing in smaller towns as well as the cities.
- Can the infrastructure unit and housing activation unit work without it being driven from the department of An Taoiseach and with buy in from the Secretaries General.
- Should Irish Water be reporting to the EPA at all? It’s the EPA’s role the protect the environment, not deliver water.
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