A report by the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI) and PwC said a lack of electricians and civil engineers were also more severe than last year. Construction industry figures have long warned about the strain on traditional trades, while third level chiefs have voiced concern that yearly placements in courses such as tiling have dropped to single digits. The report found 88% of chartered surveyors reported shortages of carpenters, up from 69% last year, while 87% experienced shortages of plumbers, up from 70%. The report said tender price inflation and planning regulation issues are also holding back progress, with four out of five chartered surveyors saying they have difficulty accessing finance. The CIF report noted “a severe lack of engineers, quantity surveyors, foremen, project managers, general operatives, ground workers and apprentices”.

Source: Irish Examiner May 01, 2019 06:00 UTC