Housing and infrastructure delivery should be at the top of the agenda in the new programme for government, a panel of Irish business leaders has said in a new survey.
Some 35 per cent of the 356 company directors polled by the Institute of Directors (IoD) Ireland recently cited national infrastructure – including broadband, transport and roads – as the most important issue the new government should address with another 35 per cent citing housing delivery.
Just 9 per cent said energy policies should be the top imperative in the programme for government with 8 per cent citing international trade and just 7 per cent citing incentives for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Separately, 18 per cent of survey respondents said they expect digital transformation and innovation to be the biggest driver of growth for Irish business in 2025 with another 18 per cent citing expansion into new markets.
Almost half of company directors, meanwhile, said they think the election of Donald Trump in the US will have a negligible impact on growth in 2025.
“Our Snap Poll 2024 underscores the dynamic and multifaceted challenges and opportunities facing Irish businesses,” said IoD Ireland chief executive Caroline Spillane.
“As we approach 2025, clear priorities such as infrastructure, energy, and digital innovation will shape the policy landscape and drive economic growth. There will be a few interesting weeks ahead as the make-up of the next government is negotiated and ministerial appointments are made.”
Separately, a report published on Monday predicts that builders will have completed 32,000 new homes by the end of this year, short of the “almost 40,000″ promised by outgoing Fine Gael Taoiseach Simon Harris in August.
Next year the industry could build 38,000 homes with the figure rising to 40,000 in 2026, says EY-Euroconstruct, an independent network of experts that tracks construction trends in 19 European countries.
The Irish Times reported on Monday that senior sources in Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael remain interested in a three-party coalition with the Labour Party.
The Labour Party’s parliamentary party is meeting on Monday afternoon to decide on the next steps it wishes to take in government-formation talks.
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