Call For Govt To Create A Minister For Infrastructure And Construction

The Government is being urged to create a Minister for Infrastructure and Construction.

The Construction Industry Federation (CIF) made the call to help deal with the infrastructure and housing crisis in Ireland.

CIF Director General Tom Parlon said: "We are storing up problems around the supply of housing and infrastructure that will stymie growth. Our current approach is resulting in a lopsided recovery where Dublin becomes the primary area of economic activity for the country. This is not sustainable."


"Dublin has become the ninth most congested out of 200 cities and the ESRI has warned that commuting times will reach Celtic Tiger levels very soon. Rent and mortgage deposit requirements mean that companies have to pay higher wages to employees simply so they can live in Dublin. This reduces Irish competitiveness and affects our ability to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). The EU Commission has already stated that our capital spending programme isn't sufficient to sustain economic growth, and its most recent country report on Ireland stated that the housing crisis could have a damaging impact on the economy."

(CD/MH)