Barry Keogh

This is certainly a fiasco that grinds on and on to the detriment of Ireland's children's health. Someone - no, everyone involved - should read 'How Big Things Get Done' by Prof. Bent Flyvbjerg and Dan Gardner. In fact, this book should be mandatory for anyone involved in infrastructure design, construction, project and programme management in Ireland where we have an abysmal record, with cost overruns and budget adherence, on major infrastructure projects. With billions more to spend in the coming years, without adequately experienced construction and project management professionals, we can expect that more money will be wasted and more time will be lost...

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WELCOME GUIDANCE✍️ 🇮🇪: The Irish government has announced that it will provide specific guidance for the use and procurement of low-carbon cement and concrete in public sector projects. The announcement from Ireland’s Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment follows its Reducing embodied carbon in cement and concrete through Public Procurement in Ireland report, detailing technical and procedural recommendations for public procurement including: 1.    Reduce the carbon impact of public sector projects involving construction 2.    Reduce the carbon impact of the procurement of cement and concrete 3.    Do more with less by using less concrete and less cement and by designing, specifying, and managing products on site better. Cement accounts for almost 5% of total national emissions in Ireland and almost 8% globally. Specifically, the government has formally mandated a 30% target for clinker reduction and Ireland and is the first country in Europe to do this. Since clinker is the source of over 90% of emissions from cement and cement in Ireland currently averages almost 85% clinker, this is a significant shift and sends a clear message to the construction industry to invest in low carbon products. Dublin-based Ecocem Global, a leading European provider of low-carbon cement solutions, has welcomed this announcement. Ecocem’s director of public affairs and sustainability, Susan McGarry, comments on the government move: "Responsible for almost 5% of Ireland’s emissions, the cement sector has a major role to play in decarbonising the construction industry. Public procurement requirements on the use of low-carbon cement are essential to ensure the sustainable delivery of Ireland’s infrastructure. At Ecocem, we have long been calling for mandatory use of low- carbon cements, which have enormous potential to reduce emissions at scale, and the government’s mandatory target of 30% reduction in clinker is a solid start on which we as an industry can build. "Low carbon cement technology is available to be deployed immediately, offering a scalable, cost-efficient solution to cement and concrete’s carbon problem. The responsibility now lies with public sector decision-makers to engage with the private sector in its efforts to reduce the carbon impact of construction." Paddy Ziegler Irish Concrete Federation Gerry Farrell World Cement Association GCCA – Global Cement and Concrete Association The Concrete Centre

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Ireland's Parliamentary Budget Office today called on the State to support the development of ports, grids, and planning system to meet climate action targets. The PBO provides independent and impartial information, analysis and advice to the Houses of the Oireachtas. 'The infrastructure deficit, as described above, focusses on direct Exchequer funding of projects and the shortfalls and capacity issues that exist. However, not all essential infrastructure projects are funded via the Exchequer particularly those relating to the energy sector. For example, under binding climate action targets, Ireland has committed to developing 22 GW of renewable energy (including more than 5 GW via offshore wind) by 2030 and >37 GW of offshore renewable energy by 2050. These large-scale projects will, almost exclusively, rely on private investment and co-financing investments made available through NextGenerationEU. The state’s role in this instance is to develop a regulatory and operational environment that makes such investments attractive and helps improve the competitiveness of Irish based projects in accessing finance. In many cases without providing direct funding, the state must support the sectors development through multiple actions,including: 1. Aiding the development of key ports to allow for assembly and deployment of turbine along with future maintenance, 2. Development of key infrastructures in the vicinity of ports such are rail lines, road, warehousing etc., 3. Upgrading the energy grid (via Eirgrid) to help carry the additional energy load from an expanded energy network, and 4. Providing an efficient and fair planning system that adjudicates and delivers decisions around energy projects (and associated infrastructure) in a timely manner. This is just one example in climate action related infrastructure where failure in any of these activities would likely limit the levels of investment available to Irish based projects and undermine Ireland’s ability to achieve our binding climate goals.' Houses of the Oireachtas Parliamentary Budget Office Pre-Budget Commentary 2025, 23 September 2024: https://lnkd.in/eZxV4pvB  

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Minister Paschal Donohoe published the Prospects 2024/2025 report on November 7th last. The report aims to provide enhanced visibility on Ireland’s priority infrastructure over the coming years. This will help construction and built environment firms plan commercial bids for these major infrastructure projects. Over half of projects are large scale infrastructure in the areas of public transport, housing and health, ranging in value from €200 million up to €1 billion and above. Furthermore, almost 60% of projects are set to commence in 2025 and 2026 subject to planning and approval.   The sectors covered in the report include Public Transport, Flood Relief, Roads, Uisce Éireann, Health, Education, Housing and Other. The report aims to provide a line of sight to the construction industry in terms of the Government’s commitment to the delivery of critical infrastructure over the next number of years. gov.ie - Minister Donohoe publishes the Prospects 2024/2025 report

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𝐂𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐲 𝐄𝐧𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 Coffey is making significant progress on the construction of a new water storage reservoir in Mallow, County Cork, on behalf of Uisce Éireann Irish Water. This significant project is part of a broader initiative to improve water infrastructure across the region, ensuring a reliable and sustainable water supply for residents and businesses. The Mallow reservoir, with a capacity of 4,000 cubic metres, will be a valuable addition to the existing water supply network. This increased capacity will help meet the growing demand for water in the area, particularly during peak usage periods. To guarantee the safety and quality of the water stored in the reservoir, a water disinfection system will be integrated into the project. This system will ensure that the water is treated to the highest standards, protecting public health and safeguarding the environment. In addition to the reservoir itself, the project will include the construction of new pipelines, electrical upgrades, footpaths, and other essential infrastructure to support the reservoir and enhance the overall water supply system in Mallow. These improvements will improve water delivery and contribute to the overall development and well-being of the community. Upon completion, the Mallow reservoir will play a crucial role in providing a reliable and sustainable water supply to the local community. This investment in water infrastructure will benefit both residents and businesses, supporting economic growth and improving quality of life in the region. #Coffey #Waterinfrastructure #Civilengineering

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Cork Chamber published its pre-Budget 2025 submission last week, calling on Government to prioritise: 🏠 Housing 🚆 Infrastructure investment 💡 Renewable energy 🌳 Urban evolution ✨ Competitiveness, skills and talent 🍃 Social and environmental sustainability Budget 2025 presents the opportunity for Government to set a course for a more pro-business landscape, ensuring that Cork remains competitive and attractive for local businesses and global industries alike. The Government must invest in Ireland’s long-term competitiveness in Budget 2025, paving the way for sustainable economic growth and resilience. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eFGXJBxz

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I am encouraged to hear public-private partnerships will be considered for ports in a positive joined-up discussion on transport investments across Ireland in parliament today. From campus buildings for engineers, to grid infrastructure, to security, to transport; decisions and bankable agreements are required for the communities and businesses like mine along the N25 and South Coast, and for those who want to invest in them. A multi-stakeholder economic partnership or taskforce for the South Coast could provide the joined-up thinking to realise and maximise the potential of this investment. As Taoiseach Simon Harris noted in the Dáil this week: "Driving forward the green and digital transformations, as well as meeting our increased security needs in coming years, will require significant investment. Mobilising private finance, including in partnership with public funding, will be essential." Houses of the Oireachtas: https://lnkd.in/eMupzyeW #publicprivatepartnerships #infrastructure #powerandenergy

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Irish Construction firms face several significant challenges that impact their ability to deliver projects efficiently and within budget, some of these challenges include: 🏗Rising Construction Costs: This challenge has been exacerbated by global events, including the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit, which led to increased costs due to inflation, fluctuating materials prices and supply chain disruptions. 👷‍♂️ Skilled Labour Shortages: The Irish construction industry faces shortages of skilled workers particularly in trades such as carpentry, plumbing and electrical work. This shortage drives up labour costs and slows down project timelines making it difficult for companies to meet the demand without overextending their resources 🚧Digital Transformation: While digital construction tools like BIM offer significant benefits, many firms, especially smaller ones have been slow to adopt these technologies due to lack of digital expertise. Without adopting digital tools, companies miss out on opportunities to enhance project efficiency and reduce errors. 👷‍♀️Sustainability and environmental regulations: The increasing pressure to meet sustainability targets adds another layer of complexity. Irish construction firms are required to adopt greener building methods and materials to comply with environmental regulations, while also managing the costs of transitioning to more sustainable practices. So how can we at Origin7 make tailored solutions to help with these challenges? For cost management and efficiency BIM allows for precise planning and budgeting by providing accurate data from the design phase through to the construction phase. With the Irish construction sector experiencing skilled labour shortages, using Building Information Modelling to help optimize the workforce by automating certain tasks, improving collaboration and reducing on-site labour demands. Digital construction tools can streamline management reducing reliance on manual processes and allowing existing teams to work more efficiently. By helping construction firms meet environmental and regulatory challenges by integrating sustainability into project designs from the start of a project, by using BIM firms can simulate energy performance and assess material impacts and we can make sure that you are complying with sustainability targets, this is a crucial move towards greener buildings. By using us to integrate BIM and digital construction you can improve productivity, reduce costs, enhance project collaboration and meet growing regulatory demands, all while addressing the core challenges that you face. For more information on how we can help please reach out to us at www.origin7digital.com or www.origin7.co.uk #BIM #construction #ireland #digitalconstruction #digitisation #DigitalTransformation #IrelandBusiness

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A useful report from Ireland with some good lessons for New Zealand. The key recommendations include 6 lines of action to further the expansion of offsite manufacturing MMC: • institutional LEADERSHIP; • STANDARDS and INNOVATION; • TARGETS; • innovative FINANCE; • new EMPLOYMENT opportunities; and • POSITIVE PROMOTION. Chris Penk MP Christopher Bishop Katherine Hall Graham Burke Chris Litten David Hall #offsite #offsitemanufacturing #osm #mmc #offsitemanufacturing #lean #leanconstruction

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Irish Construction firms face several significant challenges that impact their ability to deliver projects efficiently and within budget, some of these challenges include: 🏗Rising Construction Costs: This challenge has been exacerbated by global events, including the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit, which led to increased costs due to inflation, fluctuating materials prices and supply chain disruptions. 👷‍♂️ Skilled Labour Shortages: The Irish construction industry faces shortages of skilled workers particularly in trades such as carpentry, plumbing and electrical work. This shortage drives up labour costs and slows down project timelines making it difficult for companies to meet the demand without overextending their resources 🚧Digital Transformation: While digital construction tools like BIM offer significant benefits, many firms, especially smaller ones have been slow to adopt these technologies due to lack of digital expertise. Without adopting digital tools, companies miss out on opportunities to enhance project efficiency and reduce errors. 👷‍♀️Sustainability and environmental regulations: The increasing pressure to meet sustainability targets adds another layer of complexity. Irish construction firms are required to adopt greener building methods and materials to comply with environmental regulations, while also managing the costs of transitioning to more sustainable practices. So how can we at Origin7 make tailored solutions to help with these challenges? For cost management and efficiency BIM allows for precise planning and budgeting by providing accurate data from the design phase through to the construction phase. With the Irish construction sector experiencing skilled labour shortages, using Building Information Modelling to help optimize the workforce by automating certain tasks, improving collaboration and reducing on-site labour demands. Digital construction tools can streamline management reducing reliance on manual processes and allowing existing teams to work more efficiently. By helping construction firms meet environmental and regulatory challenges by integrating sustainability into project designs from the start of a project, by using BIM firms can simulate energy performance and assess material impacts and we can make sure that you are complying with sustainability targets, this is a crucial move towards greener buildings. By using us to integrate BIM and digital construction you can improve productivity, reduce costs, enhance project collaboration and meet growing regulatory demands, all while addressing the core challenges that you face. For more information on how we can help please reach out to us at www.origin7digital.com or www.origin7.co.uk #BIM #construction #ireland #digitalconstruction #digitisation #DigitalTransformation #IrelandBusiness

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The Construction Industry Federation (CIF) emphasizes the critical need for increased investment in utilities infrastructure to meet housing demand in Ireland. CIF highlights that without sufficient funding for water and electricity infrastructure, the industry faces challenges in delivering the required 60,000 homes annually. The organization urges the government to prioritize ringfencing capital for essential utilities in Budget 2025 to attract and retain investment opportunities. CIF's call for a plan-led approach to infrastructure underscores the vital role of utilities in facilitating large-scale housing construction. #ConstructionIndustry #InfrastructureInvestment #HousingDemand

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The plan all other plans in Ireland require was published today. The Transmission Development Plan 2024 – 2033 sets out EirGrid Group’s approach to addressing the challenges of climate change and emissions reduction within the realm of electricity transmission infrastructure, in line with the licence and legislative requirements. By prioritising the integration of renewable energy, enhancing grid resilience, and aligning with policy frameworks, the plan lays the foundation for a sustainable and resilient energy future. Today, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) published a Consultation Paper on EirGrid Group’s draft Transmission Development Plan (TDP) 2024 – 2033 along with the draft TDP (https://lnkd.in/eKGtnSky). EirGrid’s draft TDP is a plan for the development of the Irish electricity transmission network and interconnection encompassing the ten-year period, 2024 to 2033. It presents projects that EirGrid have considered are needed to reinforce the transmission network and are aligned with the strategic objectives laid out by national and EU policies. "When it comes to developing infrastructure in Ireland, you typically have to plan 10 years in advance. This is in order to get through early-stage feasibility; environmental assessments, design, business case, maritime licensing, planning, funding and/or financing, procurement and construction. " Robert Costello. In that case there is no time to lose in delivering Eirgrid's plan. #infrastructure #powerandenergy

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Datacentres are the "Canary In The Coalmine" in Ireland and FDI; if you cannot provide a clear and trustworthy plan without constant flip-flopping on the policy, you create Stagnation = Uncertainty = projects go someplace else for ICT-related services, Chip manufacture, pharmaceuticals and many other of the FDI industries which have dragged Ireland up from mainly exporting Live Cattle and People in the 1970's. We are sleepwalking into a situation where we have become a backwater for innovation after working so hard these past 50 years to shift our economy from depending on the export of Live Cows 🙏 Let's work together and find the solutions to decarbonise our electrical grid whilst maintaining the economic and job dividends of ICT, Pharma, & Chip manufacture 🤞 My interview with Joe Lynam Newstalk on Thursday covers more on this complacency and entitlement at https://lnkd.in/dSD7MKny https://lnkd.in/ebpwvevE IDA Ireland Maurice Mortell (he/him) Séamus Dunne Peter Lantry Joe Lynam Simon Harris David McAuley Howard Pheby Colm Fagan Tommy Fitzpatrick Jinél Fourie Emma Fryer Séamus Dunne Gary Watson

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📘 Download the Full #BuildingLife Government Policy Scorecard 🎯 In 2022, we launched our Roadmap to #decarbonise Ireland’s built environment across its whole life cycle, which includes recommendations for policymakers, industry, and education providers. To support its updating process and ensure real progress is made, we have developed a Scorecard to: 🔵 Track progress against the roadmap 🔵 Highlight any gaps in current government policies 🔵 Showcase the areas we need to focus efforts Read the full document here ➡ https://lnkd.in/dWEb_gnf

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Housing commencements remain on an upward trend, according to BNP Paribas Real Estate Ireland: Construction activity index posted fractionally below the 50.0 no-change mark in May to signal broadly stable output in the sector midway through Q2

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This week I announced the introduction of fee indexation into the contracts used by the State to engage construction related consultancy services and archaeologists. This is a progressive and necessary move, which has been prioritised by me and my Department of Public Expenditure NDP Delivery & Reform and which is much needed by industry. Fee indexation represents a proportionate sharing of inflation risk between suppliers and contracting authorities. It also represents a significant reduction in the level of inflation risk that consultants engaged by the state are expected to bear. The introduction of fee indexation is a part of the ongoing work to balance the risk/reward involved in engaging in public works projects. A key priority for my department is enabling the timely delivery of NDP projects so that we can continue to deliver critical infrastructure and meet the needs of our growing population. This is a further step along that path.

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