Ireland needs people with construction skills and experience to help deliver on ambitious targets for new housing and infrastructure. A recent report (www.gov.ie/en/department-of-further-and-higher-education-research-innovation-and-science/publications/an-update-to-the-report-on-the-analysis-of-skills-for-residential-construction-and-retrofitting/.) by the Department shows a need for between 69,000-79,000 construction sector workers up to 2030 (the range is dependent on the methods of construction widely applied to projects).
My Department is leading on a number of initiatives to address the skills gap in construction, including Build Back Home, a campaign aimed at Irish construction workers abroad who are considering returning home.
In advance of planning the Build Back Home campaign, the Department carried out market research in the UK, Canada, New Zealand and Australia with Irish construction workers to discover their motivations for moving abroad and the barriers to returning home.
The research found that after two years abroad, life can become difficult, visas are hard to renew, friends they travelled out with move on, and it is as hard to buy and rent in major cities (Vancouver, Toronto, Sydney, Melbourne) as it is in Ireland. They are seeing friends at home settle down.
The research also revealed that Irish workers abroad are aware of a pipeline of significant construction opportunities back home, in both the public and private sector, and crucially want to work on these projects - the recent review of the National Development plan signals a guaranteed pipeline of major infrastructure projects into the medium-term.
Irish workers abroad want to be part of this. However, they are afraid that their overseas experience will not be valued and that too much red tape will make life admin difficult.
Yet, the research found many are still deciding they want to bring their significant experience to growing Ireland and
growing their hometown.
The Build Back Home campaign aims to accelerate that decision, while also dispelling many of the myths around the barriers to moving back home, and to reassure that the experience they gained abroad will be valued upon their return.
The campaign ran for two weeks in October 2024 in Canada and Australia. It will run for four weeks this October in Canada, Australia and the US, targeting Irish workers abroad. The costs associated with the campaign are detailed below.
|
|
Supplier
|
2024
|
2025
|
|
Market Research
|
MCCP
|
€61,439
|
€33,449
|
|
Production spend - Ad Campaign
|
Javelin
|
€63,684
|
€36,853
|
|
Production spend - testimonials
|
Zinc Design
|
-
|
€6,753
|
|
Media spend
- Canada & Australia Total
Allocated as follows:
Out of Home
Online (digital & social media)
- Canada, Australia & US
Allocated as follows:
Online (digital & social media)
|
PHD Media
Spark Foundry
|
€41,766
44%
56%
|
€200,000
100%
|
|
Total spend
|
|
€166,889
|
€277,055
|
No individuals are being used to promote the campaign.
Funding for the campaign is provided by the Department of the Taoiseach under the Housing for All Implementation Fund.
