The Guaranteed Irish Construction Forum 2025, sponsored by Kingspan, convened industry leaders under the theme “Built in Ireland, Powered by Purpose: Connecting Construction, Facilities, and Energy,” focusing on the challenges and opportunities shaping Ireland’s built environment. The forum brought together voices from construction, facilities management, and energy sectors to discuss strategies for a more resilient and efficient built environment.

Opening the event, Minister of State John Cummins, Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage, emphasised the critical role of zoning in sustaining future development pipelines. 

“Without sufficient zoned land in the sector, we simply won’t have a pipeline going forward,” Cummins said, urging local authorities to adopt “an ambitious, forward-looking approach to zoning.” He added that any necessary additional measures will be implemented to support this agenda.

Panel discussions highlighted key bottlenecks, including delays in planning approvals, viability of apartment developments, and the challenges posed by utility connections, particularly with ESB and water infrastructure managed by Uisce Éireann. Industry leaders stressed the need to accelerate planning processes, streamline approvals, and ensure that infrastructure capacity aligns with ongoing construction demand.

Representatives on the panel included Orlaith Blaney, Executive Director at Uisce Éireann; Michael Hynes, CEO of Evara; Dan Twomey, MD of Cork Builder Providers; and Cathal Coen, Commercial Director at Kingspan Insulation. 

The session was chaired by Sarah Carey of The Irish Independent, facilitating discussions around practical solutions for a sector under pressure to deliver housing, commercial, and energy projects efficiently.

The forum underscored the importance of collaboration within Ireland’s construction ecosystem. Guaranteed Irish House members exemplify this network, operating as licensed businesses that support one another across the supply chain while driving quality and sustainability in the sector.

Read the full article to see how Ireland’s construction and energy sectors are working together to overcome planning and zoning challenges.