The State’s ability to deliver billions of euros worth of transport infrastructure is being compromised by acute skills shortages, ageing workers, and a building sector dominated by small firms.
A board paper said productivity was still well below Celtic Tiger peaks and that there was poor uptake of modern methods of construction.
The National Transport Authority (NTA) document said delivery of Ireland’s complex transport projects – with more than €24 billion in planned investment over the next five years – was a “significant risk.”
It said: “Without targeted and timely interventions, Ireland’s ability to deliver on its infrastructure ambitions will be constrained by acute skills shortages, capacity bottlenecks, and rising costs.”
The paper said construction productivity was still “20 percent below pre-crash levels” and one-third lower than international benchmarks.
It said a “boom-bust dynamic” discouraged companies from investing in skills and technology while complex planning processes drove inefficiency.
The NTA briefing said there were persistent gaps in trying to recruit project managers, engineers, and skilled trades workers.
“Employers have responded with salary increases and hiring for potential rather than experience, but these measures alone cannot resolve the structural deficit,” it explained.