By Jack Chambers TD, Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation.
Ireland’s building materials and hardware sector plays a critical role in delivering national housing, infrastructure and climate objectives. From manufacturers and importers to merchants and distributors, the sector underpins every construction project in the country. As our population demographics change and grow, so too does demand for housing, public infrastructure and energy efficiency. Ensuring that the construction supply chain is resilient, productive and sustainable is a core priority for Government.
The Accelerating Infrastructure Report and Action Plan that I published in December sets out a practical framework to address long-standing barriers to infrastructure delivery.
While much of the focus is on planning, regulation and project execution, the reforms are also intended to provide greater certainty and visibility for the building materials sector, enabling businesses to plan long term, invest and innovate with much greater confidence. At the heart of our approach is a recognition that reliable access to materials, components and products is fundamental to delivery capacity.
The work undertaken by the Accelerating Infrastructure taskforce I chair has clearly shown that a well-functioning building materials supply chain is essential not only for large-scale public infrastructure, but also for housing delivery, retrofitting and small-scale construction activity across communities.
Providing greater certainty for industry is a central objective. Stable, multi-annual public investment programmes will continue to underpin demand for building materials across housing and infrastructure. This certainty allows manufacturers, suppliers and merchants to make informed decisions on capacity expansion, stockholding, logistics and workforce development.
The Accelerating Infrastructure Action Plan places a strong emphasis on clearer project pipelines and improved coordination across public bodies and utilities. For the building materials sector, this translates into better visibility of future demand and reduced exposure to sudden fluctuations that can disrupt supply chains and pricing.
Recent experience has highlighted the vulnerability of complex supply chains to disruption. The Government’s reform agenda places a strong focus on improving coordination, reducing unnecessary delays and strengthening resilience across the system. Measures to streamline regulatory processes and reduce sequential approvals are designed to shorten delivery timelines and create more predictable demand patterns.
Earlier engagement across the value chain is also encouraged. Greater collaboration between designers, contractors and materials suppliers at early stages of project development can improve specification, reduce waste and support more efficient procurement. For merchants and suppliers, this creates opportunities to add value through technical expertise and product knowledge.
Productivity improvements are not limited to on-site construction. The building materials sector has a key role to play through innovation in products, manufacturing processes and logistics. The Government supports increased adoption of digital tools, standardisation and modern methods of construction – all of which have implications for how materials are produced, specified and supplied.
Off-site manufacturing, greater use of Building Information Modelling and improved data sharing can help suppliers align production with demand and improve cost control. The Accelerating Infrastructure Action Plan highlights the importance of digitalisation and data in supporting more efficient project delivery, with clear benefits for materials suppliers.
Skills availability affects every part of the building materials ecosystem. The Government continues to expand apprenticeships and training pathways, for construction trades and also for manufacturing, logistics and technical sales roles within the materials sector. Building capability across the full supply chain is essential to improving delivery outcomes. Engagement with education and training providers will be critical to ensuring that skills development reflects evolving technologies, sustainability standards and new construction methods. Broadening participation and supporting workforce progression will strengthen long-term resilience.
The transition to a low-carbon economy places the building materials sector at the forefront of change. Reducing embodied carbon, improving energy performance and supporting retrofit programmes all depend on the availability and uptake of sustainable products.
Hardware suppliers and merchants are central to informing customers, supporting compliance and driving market adoption.
The Accelerating Infrastructure Report also recognises the importance of public understanding and confidence in infrastructure delivery. Clear national priorities, consistent standards and transparent communication help create a stable environment in which the building materials sector can invest for the long term.
Delivering Ireland’s infrastructure ambitions requires close collaboration between Government, construction and the building materials sector. By improving certainty, reforming delivery processes and supporting innovation across the supply chain, we are working to ensure that the building materials sector remains strong, competitive and ready to support Ireland’s growth in the years ahead.
It was a great pleasure to meet members of the board, and some members of Hardware Association Ireland in 2025. I look forward to our continued collaboration in the period ahead.
