Engineering shortage threatens housing and infrastructure delivery, Engineers Ireland warns
A shortage of engineers and delays in delivering critical infrastructure are putting Ireland’s housing targets, transition to low-carbon energy and economic competitiveness at risk, Engineers Ireland has warned.
In its Pre-Budget 2027 Submission, the professional body, which represents more than 30,000 members, warns that Ireland is not producing enough engineering graduates to meet growing demand across housing, energy, transport and other key sectors of the economy.
Engineers Ireland estimates that the country will require more than 22,000 additional engineers over the next decade to meet growing demand.
Just 10% of Irish graduates from third-level courses qualified in engineering, manufacturing, or construction in 2024, compared with an OECD average of 13%, and significantly behind leading European nations like Germany (21%) and Austria (19%). Almost half of engineering employers also reported taking more than six months to fill an engineering vacancy in the past year. These skills shortages are already creating risks for major national projects and Ireland’s ability to compete for international investment, warns the professional body. Engineers Ireland says that this country will require more than 22,000 additional engineers over the next decade to meet growing demand.
The submission calls on Government to expand places on accredited engineering programmes, increase engineering apprenticeships, and extend the Free Fees Initiative to cover the fifth year of accredited integrated engineering master’s degrees. It also proposes a national campaign encouraging more young people, particularly girls, to pursue engineering careers.
The submission also identifies housing as the infrastructure issue of greatest concern among engineers. Although more than 38,000 homes were completed in the 12 months to the end of the first quarter of 2026, Engineers Ireland warns that housing cannot be delivered without sufficient water, wastewater, and electricity infrastructure and calls for faster approvals, proactive delivery of Uisce Éireann and ESB connections, and multi-annual budgets for key infrastructure projects.
Engineers Ireland is also seeking annual transport investment increases of more than 5% over the next decade, accelerated delivery of MetroLink, DART+, and BusConnects, and provision of a 2:1 ratio of funding in favour of sustainable transport modes to further encourage a shift away from car and fossil fuel use.
In the area of energy, the organisation says that infrastructure investment must precede significant growth in electricity demand from artificial intelligence and data centres, and also calls for Ireland’s legal restrictions on nuclear energy to be reviewed, allowing it to be evaluated alongside other low-carbon technologies.
Commenting on the Pre-Budget Submission, Damien Owens, Director General of Engineers Ireland, said,
“If Ireland is to continue to enjoy the growth that has been a feature of much of the last three decades of its economic life, it must swiftly and comprehensively deal with the infrastructural deficits that threaten, not only to undermine the quality of life of those living here, but to drastically reduce this country’s ability to attract foreign direct investment or support a thriving business community.
“Engineers and engineering remain essential ingredients in the strength of Ireland’s economy, and by appropriately supporting the engineering sector in Budget 2027, Government can give Ireland its best chance at continued success.”
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Michael McDonnell Managing Editor of Irish Construction Industry Magazine & Plan Magazine
