From cranes dotting the skyline to ground-breaking statistics, Ireland's construction industry surged to an €18.5 billion output in 2022, fueled by a remarkable building boom and significant infrastructure investment.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the total value of construction output in Ireland reached €18.5 billion, marking a 12.5% increase from 2021 driven by residential and infrastructure projects.
- Construction output volume index for building increased by 9.8% in the 12 months to Q4 2022 compared to the previous year.
- The value of construction enterprises' work done in Ireland was €45.2 billion in 2021, up 7.3% from 2020.
- Employment in the Irish construction sector totaled 152,600 persons in Q4 2022.
- Average hourly earnings in construction were €28.45 in Q2 2023.
- 14.2% of construction workers were aged under 25 in 2021.
- Number of dwellings completed in Ireland was 29,851 in 2022.
- Residential construction permits issued totaled 36,200 units in 2022.
- Average new house price was €399,345 in Q4 2022.
- Total value of commercial building output was €4.2 billion in 2022.
- Road infrastructure projects accounted for €2.8 billion in public capital expenditure in 2022.
- Office space completions totaled 250,000 sqm in Dublin in 2022.
- Fatalities in construction numbered 11 in 2022, rate of 7.2 per 100,000 workers.
- Lost time incidents rate was 1.8 per 1,000 workers in construction 2022.
- 65% of construction firms reported sustainability initiatives in 2023 survey.
Ireland's construction industry hit €18.5 billion in output in 2022, growing strongly across housing and infrastructure projects.
Commercial/Infrastructure
- Total value of commercial building output was €4.2 billion in 2022.
- Road infrastructure projects accounted for €2.8 billion in public capital expenditure in 2022.
- Office space completions totaled 250,000 sqm in Dublin in 2022.
- Renewable energy construction projects had €1.5 billion investment in 2022.
- Retail construction output grew 8% in 2022.
- National Broadband Plan rollout involved 80,000km of fibre construction by end-2022.
- Hotel developments added 3,200 rooms in 2022.
- Data centre construction floorspace reached 1.2 million sqm under construction in 2023.
- Public non-residential commencements up 25% to 450 projects in 2022.
- Industrial/warehouse space completions: 450,000 sqm in 2022.
- Public transport infrastructure spend: €3.1 billion in 2022.
- New office take-up in Dublin: 320,000 sqm in 2022.
- Wind farm construction: 800MW capacity added 2022.
- Healthcare facilities commencements: 120 projects in 2022.
- Logistics parks under construction: 1.5 million sqm pipeline.
- School building projects completed: 50 under NSIP 2022.
- Fibre broadband homes passed: 1.2 million by 2022.
- Retail park developments: €500 million invested 2022.
- Water infrastructure upgrades: €1.8 billion spend 2022.
- Logistics vacancy rate: 2.5% nationally 2022.
- Luas extensions construction started, €1 billion budget.
- New hospital beds delivered: 1,200 in 2022.
- Solar PV installations: 1.1GW capacity 2022.
- Educational buildings output value: €900 million 2022.
- DART+ rail projects: 40km under construction 2023.
- EV charging infrastructure: 3,500 points built 2022.
- Office vacancy rate Dublin: 8.2% end 2022.
- Flood defence schemes: 25 completed 2022.
Commercial/Infrastructure Interpretation
Ireland’s construction industry is clearly keeping its hard hat on to build a future that’s digitally connected, sustainably powered, efficiently supplied, and mercifully less flooded—with everyone from data centres to hospitals fighting for a slice of the ever-expanding concrete pie.
Employment
- Employment in the Irish construction sector totaled 152,600 persons in Q4 2022.
- Average hourly earnings in construction were €28.45 in Q2 2023.
- 14.2% of construction workers were aged under 25 in 2021.
- Female employment in construction represented 12.5% of the total workforce in 2022.
- There were 5,200 self-employed persons in construction in Q1 2023.
- Construction employment grew by 8.7% from Q4 2021 to Q4 2022.
- 28,400 construction jobs were added between 2020 and 2022.
- The sector had a vacancy rate of 4.1% in construction occupations in 2022.
- Over 40,000 construction workers were foreign nationals in 2021, comprising 28% of workforce.
- Apprentice registrations in construction reached 4,500 in 2022.
- Employment in building sub-sector: 92,300 in Q4 2022.
- Civil engineering employment: 38,500 persons in 2022.
- Unemployment rate in construction: 4.8% in Q2 2023.
- Part-time workers in construction: 11% of total in 2022.
- Average weekly hours worked: 39.2 in construction Q1 2023.
- Labour costs index up 5.2% YoY in construction Q2 2023.
- 25-34 age group comprised 28% of construction workforce 2022.
- Migrant workers from EU: 22,000 in construction 2021.
- Plumbers and pipefitters employment: 12,400 in 2022.
- Construction apprentices completing: 2,800 in 2022.
- Bricklayers employment: 9,200 in Q4 2022.
- Carpenters and joiners: 15,600 employed 2022.
- Electricians in construction: 18,000 in 2022.
- Construction managers: 7,500 persons 2022.
- Labour shortages reported by 72% of firms in 2023.
- Overtime hours average: 3.2 per week in construction.
- Underemployment rate: 2.1% in construction 2022.
Employment Interpretation
While Ireland's construction sector is booming with higher pay and more jobs, it’s simultaneously propped up by foreign nationals and haunted by a chronic shortage of homegrown, younger, and female talent—painting a picture of an industry building faster than it can replenish its own foundations.
Housing
- Number of dwellings completed in Ireland was 29,851 in 2022.
- Residential construction permits issued totaled 36,200 units in 2022.
- Average new house price was €399,345 in Q4 2022.
- Housing starts increased by 52% to 21,500 units in 2022 from 2021.
- 67% of new dwellings completed were houses, 33% apartments in 2022.
- Social housing deliveries reached 12,800 units in 2022 under Housing for All.
- Vacant dwellings in Ireland numbered 156,000 in Census 2022.
- Residential building output index up 14.6% in 12 months to Q3 2023.
- New apartment completions rose 120% to 8,500 units in 2022.
- Housing waiting lists stood at 55,000 households in mid-2022.
- Dwellings commenced: 29,000 in 2022, up 67% YoY.
- Scheme-only apartment completions: 4,200 units in 2022.
- Average apartment price: €512,000 in Dublin Q4 2022.
- Local authority housing starts: 2,100 units in 2022.
- A-rated new homes: 45% of completions in 2022.
- Housing supply target under Housing for All: 33,000 units/year.
- Rented accommodation completions: 15,000 units 2022.
- Dublin new house completions: 8,500 units in 2022.
- Prefab/modular homes: 4,200 units delivered 2022.
- First-time buyer mortgage drawdowns: 28,000 in 2022.
- New dwelling price index up 9.8% YoY Q3 2022.
- Single house completions: 21,300 in 2022.
- Apartments under 90sqm: 65% of completions 2022.
- Approved housing bodies delivered 8,700 units 2022.
- Buy-to-let purchases: 4,500 in 2022.
- Rural housing grants approved: €120 million 2022.
- Dublin apartment rents avg €2,200/month Q4 2022.
- Housing adaptation grants: 12,000 awarded 2022.
- Student accommodation beds added: 5,200 in 2022.
Housing Interpretation
Ireland is building more, and more expensively, yet still seems to be running up a down escalator, with a queue of 55,000 households watching prices climb as we simultaneously complete new homes and tally 156,000 vacant ones.
Output and Value
- In 2022, the total value of construction output in Ireland reached €18.5 billion, marking a 12.5% increase from 2021 driven by residential and infrastructure projects.
- Construction output volume index for building increased by 9.8% in the 12 months to Q4 2022 compared to the previous year.
- The value of construction enterprises' work done in Ireland was €45.2 billion in 2021, up 7.3% from 2020.
- Residential construction output accounted for 42% of total construction output value in 2022.
- Infrastructure output grew by 15.2% year-on-year in Q3 2023.
- Total construction output index stood at 142.6 in Q2 2023 (2015=100).
- Non-residential building output increased by 11.4% in the 12 months to Q1 2023.
- Civil engineering output rose by 18.7% year-on-year in Q4 2022.
- The construction PMI index for Ireland averaged 52.3 in 2022, indicating expansion.
- Construction sector contributed 6.8% to Ireland's GDP in 2022.
- Construction output index for Q1 2023 was 138.2 (base 2015=100), up 10.5% YoY.
- Value added in construction sector was €12.3 billion in 2022.
- Building output volume up 7.2% in Q3 2023 YoY.
- Civil engineering work done valued at €6.8 billion in 2021.
- Turnover for construction firms averaged €4.5 million per enterprise in 2021.
- Export of construction services from Ireland: €1.2 billion in 2022.
- Construction PMI hit 56.4 in December 2022, highest in 6 months.
- Sector GVA growth forecasted at 4.5% for 2023 by CIF.
- Non-building output index up 16.3% YoY Q2 2023.
- Construction imports value: €8.7 billion in 2022.
- Price index for construction output: 112.5 in 2022 (2015=100).
- Construction output deflator index: 105.3 in 2022.
Output and Value Interpretation
Ireland's construction sector is booming with the vigor of a celtic tiger cub, as evidenced by a €18.5 billion output swell driven by a relentless focus on homes and roads, all while politely suggesting we might need to import half the country to keep the pace.
Safety/Sustainability
- Fatalities in construction numbered 11 in 2022, rate of 7.2 per 100,000 workers.
- Lost time incidents rate was 1.8 per 1,000 workers in construction 2022.
- 65% of construction firms reported sustainability initiatives in 2023 survey.
- Carbon emissions from construction sector totaled 2.1 Mt CO2eq in 2021.
- 92% compliance rate with safety regulations in 2022 inspections.
- Use of modular construction rose to 15% of housing output in 2022.
- Waste generation in construction was 1.2 million tonnes in 2021.
- Training hours on safety per worker averaged 12 hours annually in 2022.
- Energy-efficient building certifications issued: 2,500 BER A-rated in 2022.
- Musculoskeletal disorders accounted for 42% of construction injuries 2022.
- 78% of firms adopted digital safety tech in 2023.
- Recycling rate of construction waste: 88% in 2021.
- Near-miss reporting up 35% in construction 2022.
- Zero-carbon construction pilots: 25 projects in 2022.
- Safety officer employment: 1 per 200 workers avg 2022.
- Timber frame usage in housing: 25% of new builds 2022.
- EU taxonomy-aligned projects: €2.5 billion in construction 2022.
- Heat pump installations in new builds: 12% in 2022.
- ISO 45001 certified firms: 45% of large constructors 2022.
- Slips/trips/falls: 35% of construction accidents 2022.
- 55% reduction target in embodied carbon by 2030.
- Green Public Procurement in construction: 30% projects.
- Biodiversity net gain policy adopted by 20% firms 2023.
- Water usage efficiency improved 15% in builds 2022.
- Mental health training reached 60% workforce 2022.
- Low-emission materials usage: 18% of projects 2022.
- Safety audits conducted: 15,000 in 2022 by HSA.
- Passivhaus certifications: 150 buildings 2022.
Safety/Sustainability Interpretation
While celebrating a commendable 92% safety compliance and a soaring 88% recycling rate, the industry still grapples with the sobering human cost of 11 fatalities and a high rate of musculoskeletal injuries, even as it ambitiously constructs a greener future with 25 zero-carbon pilots and a target to slash embodied carbon by 55%.
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