Congratulations to all of the CIF Top 50 Contractors 2024 who are the driving force behind many of the new and continuing projects underway in Ireland this year.
The construction industry continues to succeed, excel and push boundaries. As a vital cog in the Irish economy, I applaud all of our member companies and their people who deliver complex infrastructure and impressive buildings from inception to reality.
The annual CIF Top 50 Contractors special edition celebrates excellence across the built environment.
As a membership body we are comprised of a wide variety of industry leaders from across construction sectors including main contracting, specialist contractors, civil engineering, mechanical and electrical, home building and civil engineering.
I am delighted to see this represented among this year’s Top 50 lists, which embodies the quality of construction in Ireland. And while this year’s Top 50 Contractor lists feature those who have achieved the highest turnovers in Ireland, we acknowledge, champion and applaud the smaller companies who help make up the fabric of our great industry.
Our highly educated workforce and expertise is very much sought after, both at home and globally.
The Construction Industry Federation’s Top 50 Contractors for 2024 has a total turnover of over €17.77billion this year. Some €6.43billion has come from the export market – a 20 per cent increase on last year.
Congratulations to our top three companies, John Sisk & Son, Mercury and Winthrop Technologies, industry powerhouses, whose influence and reputation span a worldwide reach.
We also welcome Top 50 2024 newcomers including Glanua Group, Castlethorn, Sensori Facilities Management, and M&P Construction to the Top 50 lists, a yearly snapshot of the industry’s achievements and its continuing ability to innovate, collaborate and adapt.
Ireland entered the year on a healthy economic footing, with gross domestic product to rise modestly, alongside continued growth in employment.
A healthy economy presents a solid backdrop for the sector and a much needed injection of stability, after years of uncertainty.
The CIF undertakes quarterly outlook industry surveys on behalf of our members. Our April barometer found that turnover and employment continue to rise, an optimistic outlook. Like all industries, one of the key challenges faced by construction is securing labour.
But construction remains confident in its ability to recruit enough workers to deliver national projects and respond to National Development Plan, Housing for All and climate action plan ambitions.
The construction sector has evolved into a professional and mature industry, and we take our responsibilities seriously.
Last year the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage appointed the CIF as the Registration Body to administer the mandatory registration of builders under CIRI.
The CIRI Admissions and Registration Board has been established and a CIRI Registrar was appointed in January 2024.
Members will be kept appraised of anticipated registration dates as the work of the CIRI Admissions and Registration Board progresses.
Given the importance of a strong construction sector to the country’s economic development, employment creation and delivery of much needed services, the industry’s challenge of recruiting and retaining skilled people, and in particular, the capacity challenges that will be addressed in relation to future development of the National Development Plan and associated infrastructure, the continued support from government and all stakeholders for a vibrant and viable construction sector is critical for the future of our economy.
Warmest congratulations again to all those who feature in this year’s top 50, may you have every continued success.
