I propose to take Questions Nos. 1136 to 1139, inclusive, together.
Ireland needs people with construction skills and experience to deliver ambitious targets for new housing and infrastructure and there are lots of opportunities for Irish construction workers who have moved abroad and are considering returning home.
In advance of planning the Build Back Home campaign, my Department carried out market research with Irish construction workers abroad to discover the barriers to returning home.
The research revealed that Irish workers abroad are aware of a pipeline of significant construction opportunities back home and many want to return to work on these projects. However, they are afraid that their overseas experience will not be valued and that too much red tape will make moving back home difficult.
The Build Back Home campaign aims to reassure that experience gained abroad will be valued at home, to dispel many of the myths around the barriers to moving back home, and accelerate the decision to move home.
The review of the Build Back Home campaign for 2025 is ongoing. Initial monitoring of the campaign’s reach and engagement, provide a strong indication that the target audience has been effectively reached.
• The radio ad reached 1.3 million listeners
• Campaign videos were viewed 6.2 million times across digital platforms
• The wider digital and social media campaign generated more than 20 million impressions
• Importantly, 139,000 people visited the government website to learn more about opportunities to “build back home,” with 95% of those visitors coming from North America, Canada, and Australia, regions where many Irish construction workers currently reside
These metrics confirm that the campaign achieved substantial visibility and engagement among its target audience. The evidence demonstrates that the campaign successfully delivered its message at scale and provided clear information for those considering a move home.
Latest CSO data for the number of workers in construction employment, published 19 Feb 2026, shows the following for the number of workers in construction employment ('000):
|
Type of Construction
|
2024 Q4
|
2025 Q4
|
% change
|
|
Mainly works on new housing developments/renovations
|
104.1
|
114.8
|
+10.3%
|
|
Does not mainly work on new housing developments/renovations
|
71.9
|
77.1
|
+7.2%
|
|
Construction (F)
|
176.0
|
191.9
|
+9.0%
|
Source: CSO Housing Hub: www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/hubs/p-hh/housinghub/homebuilding/constructionemployment/
While it is not possible to attribute direct causality, these initiatives are likely to have contributed to the improvements observed in the key construction metrics.
I can confirm to the Deputy that frameworks negotiated by the OGP on behalf of the Government of Ireland were used to procure the creative development, production, media planning and media buying for the Build Back Home campaign. Details of the relevant frameworks and spend allocated under Housing for All funding, are outlined in the table below.
|
Service and supplier
|
OGP Framework
|
Contract Start
|
Contract End
|
Allocation
|
|
Creative Development and Production Supplier: Javelin
|
Supplementary Request for Tender (ref RFT 200514 - PROJ000007208) issued under the Multi-Supplier Framework Agreement for the Provision of Creative and Digital Campaign Services (Ref. MMP020F)
|
31 Mar 2022
|
30 Mar 2025
|
€100,573
|
|
Media planning and media buying Supplier: PHD
|
Supplementary Request for Tender (ref RFT 194833 - PROJ000007211) issued under the Multi-Supplier Framework Agreement for the Provision of Media Strategy, Planning & Buying (Implementation) Services (Ref MMP001F)
|
8 Dec 2021
|
5 Dec 2024
|
€41,766
|
|
Media planning and media buying, Supplier: Spark
|
MMP068F-18 Dynamic Purchasing System for the Provision of Media Strategy, Planning & Buying Services for the Public Sector in Ireland
|
22 Nov 2024
|
21 Nov 2025
|
€195,246
|
The media allocation per channel for the “Build Back Home” campaign in 2024 and 2025 is detailed below.
|
Allocation by channel
|
2024
|
2025
|
|
Digital Audio
|
€ 20,465
|
€ 26,944
|
|
Social Media
|
€ 10,024
|
€ 72,046
|
|
Outdoor
|
€ 11,277
|
-
|
|
Digital Display
|
-
|
€ 63,650
|
|
Video
|
-
|
€ 32,606
|
