COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, December 13, 2021

QUESTION NO. 32

QUESTION: Councillor F. Timmons

To ask the Chief Executive to comment on the high rising cost of building materials and how this is projected to hinder or raise the costs of planned council infrastructure ?

REPLY:

The market in construction costs has been very volatile in the last six to nine months due to a number of different factors including supply-chain shortages relating to Brexit and Covid, labour shortages and even the overhang of container-based delays related to the blockage of the Suez Canal.  The impacts of these issues are not evenly distributed across the market with some component pricing remaining relatively stable while some including timber and steel have increased by up to 30% in last 6 months.

The effects on tenders over that period has been inconsistent but as construction inflation affects all areas of building, the indications are that upcoming housing and community build projects will be affected along with other build projects if the market remains volatile.