The construction industry in Ireland is expected to expand by 2.7% in real terms this year, supported by a rise in building permits along with an increase in renovation and alteration activities. According to the Central Statistics Office (CSO), the total number of planning permissions granted for construction grew sharply by 14.7% in 2025. Of the total, planning permissions grew by 29.7% for alteration, 24.1% for other new construction (excluding dwellings), 6.3% for extensions, conversion and renovation, while it grew by 3.9% for dwellings, during the same period. The Department of Transport in November 2025, announced that it is currently investing between EUR6 to 9 billion ($7 to $10.4 billion) across the infrastructure projects in the Cork to improve its connectivity. Some of the major projects being undertaken include BusConnects Cork project which is estimated to cost between EUR2.3 to 3.5 billion ($2.7 to $4.1 billion) and involves construction of bus corridors and walking infrastructure in the region; also, EUR1 billion ($1.2 billion) rail project is being developed which includes upgrades and construction of new lines and related infrastructure in the nation. However, elevated interest rates, coupled with the uncertainty over energy prices due to the ongoing conflict, between the oil rich middle-eastern countries, the US and Israel, along with a rise in construction material prices, are likely to create uncertainty for the Irish construction industry over the short to medium-term. According to the CSO, the wholesale price index (excluding value-added tax) for building and construction materials grew by 1.7% year-on-year (YoY) in the first two months of 2026, preceded by an annual marginal growth of 0.9% in 2025.
The analyst expects the Irish construction industry to record an average annual average growth of 2.8% from 2027 to 2030, supported by investments in the transport and energy sectors, in line with the government’s target of having 22GW of renewable electricity capacity by the end of 2030, compared to 6GW at the end of 2023. To support this, in December 2025, the government owned energy service provider Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) announced an investment package worth EUR18.9 billion ($21.9 billion) for the energy sector by 2030. These funds will be used for the development of 29 major transmission infrastructure projects and 27 major distribution substations. Growth over the forecasted period will also be supported by the government’s National Development Plan (NDP) that was launched in August 2025, with a commitment of EUR111.1 billion ($121 billion) in public investment for 2026-30, with total funding projected to reach EUR198.2 billion ($216 billion) by 2035. Within this allocation, the transport sector is set to receive EUR24.3 billion ($28.2 billion). A further EUR12.2 billion ($14.1 billion) is earmarked for the water sector, with the health infrastructure being allocated EUR9.3 billion ($10.7 billion), while investment in education and youth totals EUR7.8 billion ($8.8 billion), The Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment is assigned EUR4.7 billion ($5.4 billion) and energy projects are expected to receive EUR3.5 billion ($4.1 billion). In addition, EUR2.2 billion ($2.5 billion) will be invested in the construction and modernization of sports facilities, arts and culture facilities, as well as media facilities.
The analyst expects the Irish construction industry to record an average annual average growth of 2.8% from 2027 to 2030, supported by investments in the transport and energy sectors, in line with the government’s target of having 22GW of renewable electricity capacity by the end of 2030, compared to 6GW at the end of 2023. To support this, in December 2025, the government owned energy service provider Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) announced an investment package worth EUR18.9 billion ($21.9 billion) for the energy sector by 2030. These funds will be used for the development of 29 major transmission infrastructure projects and 27 major distribution substations. Growth over the forecasted period will also be supported by the government’s National Development Plan (NDP) that was launched in August 2025, with a commitment of EUR111.1 billion ($121 billion) in public investment for 2026-30, with total funding projected to reach EUR198.2 billion ($216 billion) by 2035. Within this allocation, the transport sector is set to receive EUR24.3 billion ($28.2 billion). A further EUR12.2 billion ($14.1 billion) is earmarked for the water sector, with the health infrastructure being allocated EUR9.3 billion ($10.7 billion), while investment in education and youth totals EUR7.8 billion ($8.8 billion), The Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment is assigned EUR4.7 billion ($5.4 billion) and energy projects are expected to receive EUR3.5 billion ($4.1 billion). In addition, EUR2.2 billion ($2.5 billion) will be invested in the construction and modernization of sports facilities, arts and culture facilities, as well as media facilities.
The Construction in Ireland - Key Trends and Opportunities to 2030 (H1 2026) report provides detailed market analysis, information, and insights into the Irish construction industry, including:
- The Irish construction industry's growth prospects by market, project type and construction activity
- Critical insight into the impact of industry trends and issues, as well as an analysis of key risks and opportunities in the Irish construction industry
- Analysis of the mega-project pipeline, focusing on development stages and participants, in addition to listings of major projects in the pipeline.
Report Scope
This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the construction industry in Ireland. It provides:
- Historical (2021-2025) and forecast (2026-2030) valuations of the construction industry in Ireland, featuring details of key growth drivers.
- Segmentation by sector (commercial, industrial, infrastructure, energy and utilities, institutional and residential) and by sub-sector
- Analysis of the mega-project pipeline, including breakdowns by development stage across all sectors, and projected spending on projects in the existing pipeline.
- Listings of major projects, in addition to details of leading contractors and consultants
Reasons to Buy
- Identify and evaluate market opportunities using our standardized valuation and forecasting methodologies
- Assess market growth potential at a micro-level with over 600 time-series data forecasts
- Understand the latest industry and market trends
- Formulate and validate business strategies using the analyst's critical and actionable insight
- Assess business risks, including cost, regulatory and competitive pressures
- Evaluate competitive risk and success factors
Table of Contents
1 Executive Summary2 Construction Industry: At-a-Glance6 Construction Market Data
3 Context
4 Construction Outlook
5 Key Industry Participants
7 Appendix
List of Tables
List of Figures
