We all support renewable energy in principle. The challenge is what happens when it is being proposed close to home. I had the chance to share a few thoughts on an issue we work with every day at Rowan— How Ireland can continue to develop renewable energy while also building trust and support within local…
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The ICE Awards, the premier competition for Ireland’s AEC sector, are now inviting companies of all sizes to put their best foot forward for the 2027 season. Each year, the awards recognise the people, projects, companies and products driving innovation, expertise and excellence across the industry.
Awards Director Colin Walsh says that, year after year, the ICE Awards remain the most sought-after accolade in the sector, owing in no small part to their rigorous assessment process and distinguished judging panel.
“The ICE Awards is where vision meets execution, celebrating those who go beyond industry standards to redefine them. Bringing together contractors, architects, consultants, engineers, clients and stakeholders, it remains Ireland’s premier platform for recognising performance excellence in construction.”
The ICE Awards Gala (‘Construction’s Big Night Out’), meanwhile, has become the most attended social fixture on the construction calendar. The 2026 gala, for example, attracted more than 1,300 professionals to the Convention Centre Dublin (CCD).
Launching the ‘Call for Entries’ at the CCD were first-time judge Joanne White, Women in Construction Ireland (WICI) founder and lecturer in the School of Built Environment at Dundalk IT, and returning judge Mary Flynn, Deputy Manager, Dublin City Council.
Also joining the panel this year: Eoin Cronin, Property Executive, IDA Ireland; Dermot Durack, Director, HF Ireland; and Gerry O’Sullivan, Law and Safety Consultant.
JUDGES’ INSIGHTS
According to returning judge Mary Flynn, the judging experience is “very rewarding and very enjoyable”. She particularly values the opportunity to see, up close, the very best that the Irish construction sector has to offer.
She is also delighted to be involved given that, as she puts it, the ICE Awards are ‘the awards’ in Irish construction and ‘the one everyone wants to win’. “The gala night is the most prestigious event on the calendar, full stop, and I wouldn’t miss it for the world. When you win an ICE award, in the eyes of your peers you are at the very top level.” It is also, she says, “one of the most valuable marketing opportunities available.
“Being named a finalist is a significant achievement, while winning demonstrates that you are among the very best in the country. Both distinctions carry considerable weight, with finalists and winners able to feature their ICE Awards logos in email signatures and across their marketing materials.”
The event itself is a really nice opportunity for companies and employees to come together with others in the industry, she adds. “They are competitors every other day of the year but at the Awards they’re industry colleagues.”
TOP TIPS
When assessing entries, Mary Flynn looks for clear evidence of innovation, meaningful collaboration and measurable added value. Crucially, that value must extend beyond financial performance to deliver tangible benefits for the project team, the client and the wider community. “A strong entry should demonstrate what the team and client gained from the project—and, wherever possible, the positive impact it had on the community.” There also needs to be a strong emphasis on sustainability.”
Joanne is particularly keen to understand how applicants approached problem-solving. She encourages entrants to be open about any challenges encountered, detailing how the team responded, the solutions implemented and the successful outcomes achieved. Demonstrating resilience and adaptability can be just as important as presenting the finished result. Drawing on her quantity surveying expertise, Joanne will also pay particular attention to the financial aspects of each entry.
Her final advice is relevant across all categories: provide clear context and use the questions set by the judges, whether it relates to a project, consultancy, contractor, individual, innovation or health and safety initiative, as she puts it to: “Tell us the whole story.”
WHY ENTER?
Reasons to enter the Awards are many and varied, but chief among them is the chance to stand out among Ireland’s leading AEC companies and celebrate the work that you and your employees do. Recognition on this level validates the calibre of your work, strengthens your reputation, and builds trust with clients, partners, and peers.
The ICE Awards Gala, meanwhile, is the construction industry’s biggest social event of the year, drawing an unrivalled audience and offering exceptional opportunities for networking, idea-sharing, and collaboration. Far more than just an award, it’s a platform to raise your company’s profile, showcase innovation, and highlight your commitment to excellence.
For your team, taking part in the ICE Awards is a source of pride and motivation, given that it allows them to benchmark their achievements against the very highest standards in the industry, thereby incentivising continuous improvement. It also boosts your employer brand, helping to attract and retain talent in a competitive market.
Beyond internal benefits, ICE Awards recognition can directly support business development. Independent validation from the awards strengthens client pitches and tender submissions, while benchmarking against the best in the industry provides valuable insights to fuel future innovation and improvement.
All in all, the ICE Awards are where recognition, relationships, and reputation all come together—making participation an essential opportunity for any company shaping the future of Irish construction.
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Sponsoring the ICE Awards is a strategic investment that delivers brand recognition, industry credibility, and invaluable networking opportunities.
• Brand Visibility: Put your company in front of key decision-makers and influencers across the construction sector.
• Industry Leadership: Show your commitment to excellence and innovation by aligning with Ireland’s most prestigious construction awards.
• Networking: Gain exclusive and strategic opportunities to connect with clients, partners, and industry leaders through multiple platforms and live events.
• Targeted Reach: Engage directly with a focused audience of AEC professionals and stakeholders.
• Positive Association: Link your brand with the prestige of the ICE Awards, reinforcing values of quality, innovation, and high standards.
The ICE Awards Sponsors:
Gold Sponsors: Sika Ireland, Construction Industry Federation (CIF), NTI Digital Solutions Ireland, Howden,
Skillnet MMC Accelerate, Dulux Trade, Lumen Search
Silver Sponsors: Pipelife, Lean Construction Ireland (LCi), Wave Dynamics, CPAS, Irish building magazine.
The ICE Awards are open to professionals and organisations across the AEC sector in Ireland. The entry submission deadline is 24 November 2026.
For more information, call the ICE Awards team on 01 2806030, email contact@iceawards.ie, or visit www.iceawards.ie
This item is an extract from Irish building magazine, read the full interview with the Judges in the latest edition.
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Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin) today welcomed Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD to officially open the new An Mol Acadúil ┐Leabharlann / Academic Hub & Library on its Grangegorman Campus, marking another significant milestone in the University’s campus development programme.
The Taoiseach was joined by James Lawless TD, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Dr Deirdre Lillis, President of TU Dublin, Eoin O’Shea, Interim Chair of the TU Dublin Governing Body, and Ger Casey, Chief Executive Officer of the Grangegorman Development Agency, for the official opening ceremony, ahead of students returning to campus for the start of the new academic year on Monday.
The Academic Hub & Library is a landmark 12,600m², five-storey development that places learning, collaboration and student support at the heart of the Grangegorman campus.
The Grangegorman Development Agency (GDA), the semi-state body responsible for developing the Grangegorman site, delivered this building and plays a lead role in what has been recognised nationally as the ongoing successful redevelopment of the site into an emerging new health, education and community campus.
Designed by a team led by award-winning architects O’Donnell + Tuomey, the building carefully integrates the 19th-century North House building within a striking contemporary structure that reflects the University’s commitment to innovation while celebrating the heritage of the Grangegorman site.
Funded through a combination of Exchequer support from the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and the sale of TU Dublin properties, construction was delivered by the OHLA–Townlink Joint Venture.
The new Academic Hub & Library brings together TU Dublin’s Library Services with key student supports, including the Academic Writing Centre, Career Development Centre, Disability Support Service, Maths Learning Centre, and Computer Learning Centre, creating a central hub for learning and student success.
The building provides more than 1,300 study spaces, collaborative learning areas, Special Collections and Archives, a café, exhibition and event spaces, a rooftop terrace and panoramic city views. It also features TU Dublin’s first automated book return system and a range of technology-enabled learning spaces.
Speaking at the opening of the Academic Hub & Library at TU Dublin’s Grangegorman campus, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said: “The opening of the Academic Hub & Library at Grangegorman is an important milestone in Project Ireland 2040 and reflects the Government’s commitment to investing in world-class higher education infrastructure.
“I want to congratulate TU Dublin on the opening of this fantastic new building and on the growing success of the university. This year, TU Dublin was Ireland’s most applied-to higher education institute, a tremendous achievement that demonstrates the growing appeal of practice-based education. This success speaks not only to the quality of the university’s educational offering, but also to the dedication of its staff and the academic excellence of its students, and the important role TU Dublin plays in developing the talent and skills that drive our society and economy forward.”
Grangegorman is also a place of remarkable history, having served the people of Dublin for more than 250 years. It is important that, as this site looks to the future, its past is not forgotten. The restoration of the North House and the ‘Beyond the Walls’ exhibition ensure that this heritage remains an important part of the campus.
Grangegorman has now entered another chapter in its long history – as a modern centre for education, research, innovation, health and community, helping to create opportunities for generations to come.”
Highlighting the importance of student-centred investment in higher education, Minister James Lawless TD said:
“Investment in higher education is about more than new buildings. It is about creating spaces where teaching, research and innovation can thrive, and where students have the support they need to succeed.
The Academic Hub & Library reflects TU Dublin’s commitment to strengthening higher education infrastructure and meeting growing student demand. By bringing academic resources and essential student services together, it creates a truly student-centred environment for learning and development. This project marks a major milestone for TU Dublin and the North Inner City, reflecting years of vision, planning and collaboration. It is important to recognise the outstanding contribution of the Board and Executive of the Grangegorman Development Agency in bringing this ambitious project to completion.
TU Dublin has a distinctive role in our higher education landscape, combining practice-based education and applied research with strong links to enterprise and industry. This facility represents an important investment in that mission and, above all, in TU Dublin’s students. That investment is reflected in the University’s strong graduate outcomes, which are the highest in Dublin, demonstrating the quality of its education and its strong links with industry and employers.”
Dr Deirdre Lillis, President of TU Dublin, highlighted the importance of the new facility in enhancing the student experience and advancing TU Dublin’s vision for a connected campus network:
“The opening of the Academic Hub & Library is another important milestone in the development of TU Dublin’s connected campus network. As Ireland’s first technological university, we are committed to providing outstanding learning environments across our campuses in Grangegorman, Bolton Street, Aungier Street, Tallaght and Blanchardstown, ensuring students have access to world-class facilities wherever they choose to study.
“This exceptional new building has been designed entirely around the student experience. By bringing together our library services, academic supports, collaborative learning spaces and wellbeing resources under one roof, we are creating an environment where students can learn, connect, innovate and thrive. Opening its doors as students return for the new academic year makes this an especially exciting moment for our university community and demonstrates our continued investment in delivering an outstanding educational experience.”
Highlighting TU Dublin’s legacy of technological education, Eoin O’Shea, Interim Chair of TU Dublin’s Governing Body, said:
“TU Dublin has a proud history stretching back to the City of Dublin Technical Schools and the founding of the Technical College at Kevin Street in 1887 by Arnold Felix Graves. That tradition of combining academic excellence with practical, hands-on learning continues to define the University today, alongside its growing contribution through research, innovation and graduate talent to Ireland’s skills needs and economic competitiveness.
The Academic Hub & Library builds on that tradition, representing the latest investment in TU Dublin’s connected campus strategy alongside new teaching and learning facilities in Tallaght and Blanchardstown. Together, these developments are strengthening our campuses and ensuring TU Dublin can continue to deliver for students, industry and Ireland’s future.”
Speaking at the opening, Ger Casey, CEO, Grangegorman Development Association, added;
“I am delighted to see the Academic Hub & Library now complete and established as the academic heart of the Grangegorman site. This landmark building provides a modern, accessible and inclusive learning environment for students, staff and the wider community. It is also fitting to see the ‘Grangegorman Histories – Beyond the Walls’ as the inaugural exhibition hosted within the building, linking the site’s rich heritage with its future as a place of learning and innovation. As the organisation responsible for delivering the overall Grangegorman project, the GDA is proud to have helped bring this important facility come to life. I would like to thank the design team, TU Dublin project team and building contractor for their dedication and collaboration in delivering a building that will benefit generations of learners and the wider community for years to come.”
The Academic Hub & Library is the third major teaching and learning facility TU Dublin has opened since 2025, following Áras Geal in Blanchardstown and Áras Thuaidh in Tallaght. Opening in time for the new academic year, the Academic Hub & Library will provide a new centre for learning and collaboration for TU Dublin’s community of more than 28,500 students. The opening comes as the University records its highest-ever CAO demand, with over 30,000 applicants and more than 109,000 programme mentions for 2026/27, making it Ireland’s most applied-to higher education institution. This strong demand reflects TU Dublin’s reputation for preparing students for successful careers, with the University ranked number one in Dublin for graduate employability.
Grangegorman Histories
The official opening also celebrates the unique history of the Grangegorman site with a poetry reading by Lianne O’Hara and a dramatic reading of Sylvia Cullen’s Flighty Creatures by TU Dublin Conservatoire student Sophie Doyle, who is studying for a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Drama (Performance). Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Minister James Lawless also took the inaugural tour of ‘Beyond the Walls’, officially launching the new Grangegorman Histories exhibition. Housed in the restored North House, the exhibition, now open to the public, explores the site’s transformation from a place of confinement and care into today’s vibrant university campus.
The post Taoiseach Opens TU Dublin’s New Academic Hub and Library first appeared on Irish building magazine.
The homes are due to be built at Parkgate Street in Dublin, on a site formerly occupied by Hickey’s Wholesale Fabrics warehouse, which is just across the River Liffey from Heuston Station and close to the entrance of Phoenix Park.
The project includes four inter-connected apartment blocks, one of which – Parkgate Pointe – is a landmark 30-storey centrepiece that is set to become Ireland’s tallest building.
In addition to housing, the new development will include amenities and retail space, helping to transform what has been a previously underutilised site into a new and vibrant place to live, adding significantly to the existing surrounding area.
Parkgate Street, which was granted planning permission by Dublin City Council last year, will now progress as part of a partnership between the LDA and Castlethorn.
This is the second major project the LDA is delivering in partnership with Castlethorn. Construction is currently ongoing on 328 new cost rental apartments at its Woodbrook site in Shankill.
Parkgate Street is being delivered as part of the LDA’s Project Tosaigh initiative in which the LDA partners with private homebuilders, providing the finance required to ensure the construction and completion of new homes. The completed homes are then owned by the LDA.
The development’s main 30-storey building will include 198 apartments. The remaining homes will be delivered in three blocks, ranging in height from 10-13 storeys.
Construction is due to begin in the coming weeks, and the homes are forecast to be completed in late 2029.
All of the newly developed apartments will have an A BER rating and will be completed to the highest construction standards by John Paul Construction. The development also includes a number of roof terraces and a communal landscaped courtyard.
The development is the first step in the regeneration of the Heuston Station area. The LDA and Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and are progressing design work for the phased delivery of a mixed-use Masterplan for the Heuston Quarter. This residential development is the first major step in the regeneration of this key transport hub.
The new homes on Parkgate Street will be superbly located with Dublin City Centre, Phoenix Park, Kilmainham, the Liberties and Stoneybatter all within easy reach. There is a wide range of facilities, services and cultural amenities nearby and a number of transport options including bike and pedestrian routes, the Luas Red Line, Dublin Bus routes, Irish Rail’s Intercity services and convenient access to the M50.
Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne said: “It is critical to see these much-needed new homes for Dublin progressing and located in the heart of the city, where we want people to live.
“The LDA’s Project Tosaigh initiative has unlocked this significant home building project and they will be made available under the Government’s cost rental scheme, providing secure and affordable homes at scale. It’s badly needed here in Dublin.
“We are making record investment in housing, and we are seeing the dial shift. I have been relentless in making key reforms and we’re driving on with what’s needed to get cranes in the sky and keys in people’s hands.”
John Coleman, Chief Executive of the LDA said: “This is an exciting project and a great example of how the LDA is deploying state funding to urgently address the country’s pressing housing need and to activate underutilised sites. We are pleased to partner with Castlethorn on this high profile, superbly located and groundbreaking new development.
“The LDA’s involvement will ensure the delivery of hundreds of new homes. We are already working on a number of projects in central Dublin and it’s fantastic to be adding such a well-designed and soon-to-be landmark project to our development pipeline.”
Joe O’Reilly, Chief Executive of Castlethorn said: “Parkgate Street is an important regeneration project that will transform a prominent, underutilised site into a new, well-connected residential community in the heart of Dublin. Castlethorn’s vision has been to unlock this complex and historic site, open it up to the city and create an exceptional new public realm at a prominent location on the River Liffey.
“Bringing a project of this scale from land acquisition through design and planning to construction requires considerable commitment and collaboration. I would like to acknowledge the contribution of our design team, Dublin City Council and the many stakeholders who have helped the project reach this important stage. We are particularly pleased that the development will retain and incorporate important elements of the site’s historic fabric, including the river wall and entrance arch.
“Our partnership with the LDA will enable the delivery of 562 high-quality, energy-efficient homes in a location exceptionally well served by public transport, employment and amenities. It builds on the strong relationship established through the delivery of 328 homes at Woodbrook and reflects Castlethorn’s commitment to working with trusted partners to unlock complex sites and create great places that will serve communities for generations.”
Stephen Kent, Group Chief Executive Officer of CIÉ said: “We are delighted to see the LDA and Castlethorn partner to progress the Parkgate Street development. This scheme is a landmark project, which will catalyse CIÉ’s wider Heuston masterplan, and will see much needed homes, retail and office space and new public amenities, built beside a key transport hub. Pedestrian and cycle connectivity will be an important feature of our proposals, with a new boardwalk and cycle bridge linking the train station to Conyngham road and the Phoenix Park.
“Parkgate Street is an important first step in what will be a fully revitalised area, spanning North and South of the Liffey, close to the city centre, and with unparalleled transport connections, making it an ideal place to live and work.”
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The post The Land Development Agency to deliver 562 new homes in partnership with Castlethorn first appeared on Irish building magazine.
A groundbreaking ceremony marked the start of construction. Attendees included Marsha de Cordova, Labour MP for Battersea; Councillor Robert Morritt, Leader of Wandsworth Council; Karen Gleaves, Employer Engagement Manager – Construction at Wandsworth Work Match; Tan Sri Shahril Ridza Ridzuan, Chairman of Battersea Project Holding Company; James Saunders, CEO at BPSDC; and Ger Hayes, Managing Director at Sisk. Representatives from S P Setia, Sime Darby Property, Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) and the Employee Provident Fund (EPF), the Malaysian consortium that purchased the Battersea Power Station site in 2012, were also in attendance.
Designed by Gehry Partners, Prospect Place South will comprise two buildings, Rosewood House and Hayworth House, which complete the riverside neighbourhood’s pedestrianised high street, Electric Boulevard. The buildings will deliver approximately 300 new homes, 65,000 sq ft of new commercial space for shops, cafes and restaurants, a 15,000 sq ft Community Hub, and an expanded bike hub providing 600 spaces free of charge.
As main contractor, Sisk will lead the construction of the development, working alongside BPSDC and the wider project team to deliver the Gehry designed buildings, which form an extension to the highly recognisable existing buildings at Prospect Place, and remain the only residential buildings in the UK designed by Frank Gehry, the world-famous architect and designer of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. The ongoing focus on sustainability means Prospect Place South has a more modern aesthetic to reduce the carbon footprint, while green roofs will also be present on both buildings, contributing to a minimum 10% biodiversity net gain.
The construction of Prospect Place South is expected to create 400 jobs, with an aim for 20% of the workforce to be from the local area; a target which has been exceeded across the 7,500 jobs which have already been created at Battersea Power Station. Construction is expected to be completed in 2030.
Paul Brown, CEO at Sisk said: “We are proud to be working alongside the Battersea Power Station team to bring forward Prospect Place South, which will deliver more than 300 new homes and two landmark buildings designed by Gehry Partners. This project reflects the strength and commitment of our supply chain partners and our capability to deliver large residential projects in London. We look forward to creating a lasting legacy in the local community in Wandsworth and south west London.”
James Saunders, CEO at BPSDC, said: “Breaking ground at Prospect Place South marks an exciting next chapter in the regeneration of Battersea Power Station and, importantly, sees construction getting underway on site once again. This is another significant step towards realising our long-term vision for the neighbourhood and will create further jobs and community spaces for local residents.
We are delighted to be working with Sisk, whose expertise and commitment will be instrumental in bringing this next phase to life. Together, we will build on the incredible transformation already achieved at Battersea Power Station and deliver the next Gehry Partners-designed buildings on Electric Boulevard.”
Marsha de Cordova, Labour MP for Battersea, said: “Today’s groundbreaking at Prospect Place South is an exciting moment for Battersea Power Station. I welcome the creation of hundreds of new jobs for local people, helping to drive growth, create opportunities and strengthen our local economy. This is another important step in making Battersea the best place to live, work and visit.”
Cllr Robert Morritt, Leader of Wandsworth Council, said: “It’s fantastic to see work begin here on Prospect Place South as we reach another important milestone in the transformation of Battersea Power Station. Wandsworth needs more homes of all types, giving people more choice about where they live, and we’re supporting the growth of vibrant neighbourhoods and town centres by increasing the range of homes available across the borough to buy or rent.”
With approximately half of the regeneration project now completed at Battersea Power Station, strategic urban design planner, Studio Egret West, has been appointed to evolve Rafael Viñoly’s original masterplan, first conceived over 15 years ago, to respond to changes in expectations around lifestyle, leisure and workspace.
A planning application will be submitted this month for the revised masterplan outlining the vision for the remaining 16 acres of the 42-acre Battersea Power Station site. The future phases have the potential to deliver up to 3.2 million sq ft of residential, commercial, cultural and leisure space and will complete the riverside neighbourhood, which is already home to over 2,200 homes, c. 800,000 sq ft of offices and more than 170 shops, bars, restaurants and leisure venues.
Pictured above: Karen Gleaves, Employer Engagement Manager – Construction at Wandsworth, Work Match; Cllr Robert Morritt, Leader of Wandsworth Council; James Saunders, CEO at Battersea Power, Station Development Company; Marsha de Cordova, Labour MP for Battersea, Tan Sri Shahril Ridza Ridzuan, Chairman of Battersea Project Holding Company; and Ger Hayes, Managing Director at Sisk.
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The post Battersea Power Station and Sisk break ground at Prospect Place South first appeared on Irish building magazine.
The expansion reflects the success of Kirby’s operations in South Africa since the company established a presence there in 2023. Recruitment is open across a range of positions including Mechanical Engineers, Electrical Engineers (LV/MV & HV), MEP Detailers, Commissioning Engineers and Structural Engineers.
Kirby, which was founded in 1964, now employs more than 1,900 people across Ireland, the UK, mainland Europe, the Nordics and South Africa.
Executive Chairman Jimmy Kirby said the latest expansion marks an important milestone for the company: “In our three years here, the Cape Town operation has gone from strength to strength. This decision to expand to the northern suburbs is a statement of confidence in the team we have built and the long-term opportunities we envisage for the area.
“Our new office will allow us to expand capacity while remaining within the same talent hub, ensuring consistency, collaboration and continued access to the city’s strong pool of skilled professionals.”
Kirby also works closely with third-level institutions in South Africa, including the University of Pretoria and University of Cape Town to support the next generation of engineering talent through sponsorship, scholarships and graduate development opportunities. Mr Kirby said the company is looking forward to further strengthening its presence:
“The success we have enjoyed in South Africa would not have been possible without the support of our employees and local stakeholders. We are also proud to play our part in the communities where we operate, ensuring our growth benefits not only our employees but also the wider community. We look forward to further strengthening those bonds in the years ahead.”
Picturede above: Doreen McKeown, Director for Sub-Saharan Africa, Enterprise Ireland; Austin Gormley, Irish Ambassador to South Africa; Jimmy Kirby, Kirby Executive Chairman; Premier Alan Winde; Henry McCann, Kirby CEO; and Shamiela Solomons, Officer Manager / HR Lead, Kirby.
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Taking place nationwide on Friday 9 October, on the eve of World Homelessness Day, Shine A Light calls on business leaders, companies, schools and communities to sleep out for one night and raise vital funds to support children and families without a home.
Focus Ireland aims to raise €1.2 million through this year’s campaign to support its frontline services, as demand continues to rise. There are currently 17,527 people living in emergency accommodation in Ireland, including 5,659 children. Children now account for more than one-third of all people experiencing homelessness.
For children, the impact of homelessness extends far beyond the lack of a permanent address. Research shows that children living in emergency accommodation are at increased risk of anxiety, developmental delays, and disrupted education. Families housed in emergency hubs often move between multiple temporary locations, leading to instability, isolation, and loss of community ties for parents and children.
The average stay in emergency accommodation for a family is now more than a year, with many families remaining in emergency accommodation for significantly longer.
Sisk has supported Focus Ireland’s work over the last seven years. Staff teams have embraced the Shine A Light challenge, hosting Workplace Sleep Outs at the company’s Citywest offices. As the new Shine A Light sponsor, Sisk is now encouraging its people, partners, customers and communities to unite to raise awareness and vital funds to support Focus Ireland and help families move out of homelessness and into secure, long-term homes.
Welcoming Sisk as a new corporate sponsor, Pat Dennigan, CEO of Focus Ireland, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Sisk as a valued partner in our work to end homelessness. Their continued commitment through Shine A Light really shows what’s possible when businesses step up and get involved. The way they’ve embraced the Workplace Sleep Out has been hugely inspiring, setting a brilliant example of how teams can come together, make an impact, and truly live their values through corporate social responsibility. We’re excited to keep building on this partnership and achieve even more together through the next chapter of Shine A Light.”
Commenting on the announcement, Maura Toles, Sisk Group Company Secretary / Chief Legal Officer, said: “Every child deserves a safe and happy childhood, yet too many children are growing up without the security of a place to call home. At Sisk, we’re proud to support Focus Ireland in their work with individuals and families experiencing homelessness. This will be our third year hosting our Workplace Sleep Out in our Citywest Head Office with our team fully embracing the challenge and coming together to raise vital funds and awareness for those facing homelessness. It is a powerful experience that reinforces just how important this work is and deepened our commitment to this cause.
“At a time when too many children and families are experiencing homelessness, we’re committed to taking our support to the next level as sponsors of Shine A Light by rallying our people, partners and communities behind a shared goal: ensuring every child has the stability, security and opportunity that comes with having a place to call home.
“Homelessness is a challenge none of us can solve alone, but together we can make a real difference. Our message to other organisations is simple: get involved. When businesses come together and use their people, resources and influence to support Shine A Light, we can give more children and families the chance to leave homelessness behind forever.
“Through our support of Shine A Light, we’re helping to shine a light on family homelessness while backing services that provide children with opportunities to thrive. Our goal is not only to support families through crisis, but to help them achieve lasting stability and move into a home of their own. That’s why we’re committed to doing more and encouraging others to join us in making a difference.
“This October, we’re encouraging companies, community groups, schools, and individuals to join us and take part in Shine A Light. Together, we can help ensure more children have the support, stability, and opportunities they need to build brighter futures.”
Maria Hurley, Group Purchasing Manager at Sisk, who has previously taken part in the sleepout said: “It’s a fantastic event, and hearing the stories from people who have been impacted by homelessness really brings home the difference the money raised can make. It shows how your support can help change lives for the better, giving people the opportunity to make a fresh start and have somewhere they can truly call home.
How to Get Involved in Shine A Light:
Focus Ireland is hosting Shine A Light sleep out events in Cork and Dublin on Friday 9 October. The events bring business leaders, companies, schools and communities together for one night of solidarity to help prevent homelessness and support children, families and individuals who urgently need a safe place to call home.
Groups and individuals can also sign up to ‘Host Your Own’ Shine A Light event.
Focus Ireland Shine A Light Events:
Community ‘Host Your Own’ Events:
To register or learn more about Shine A Light, visit shinealight.focusireland.ie
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The post Sisk Announced as Shine A Light sponsor first appeared on Irish building magazine.
Tom and his pink ladies proved Rowan blue isn’t the only colour we can pull off. Some of the Rowan team recently took part in The Very Pink Run in support of Breast Cancer Ireland, a cause that means a lot to many people. With International Day of Charity on 5 September, it’s a timely…
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Troldtekt is a Danish manufacturer of acoustic panels that was acquired by Kingspan in 2022. Its new Lower Embodied Carbon [LEC] acoustic panel (patent pending) are now available in Denmark and Germany and will be rolled out across other European markets on a phased basis.
Key to this major advancement is the use of an innovative binder developed in-house by Troldtekt and Kingspan’s IKON Innovation Centre in Cavan, Ireland.
The new proprietary binder incorporates 25 per cent (%) secondary materials to create the rigid base layer of the acoustic panels. This innovation reduces embodied carbon by 46 per cent (%) while maintaining the high product performance for which Troldtekt is known.
It brings to 49 the total number of Lower Embodied Carbon (LEC) products developed by Kingspan under its Planet Passionate programme to date.
Sandra Del Bove, Group Head of Innovation, Kingspan Group, said: “Troldtekt’s new lower carbon acoustic solution illustrates how our Planet Passionate targets are driving product innovation that benefits the environment and buildings, without compromising on performance.
“It marks yet another successful collaboration between our dedicated innovation centre and a Kingspan frontline business, in responding to market demand for lower embodied carbon solutions that meet commercial, environmental and aesthetic requirements.”
Michael Heeager Nystrup, CEO of Troldtekt A/S, said: “Kingspan’s research and innovation capability and encouragement was key in getting this product over the line. It is a great milestone that helps the construction industry design and build with excellent acoustics alongside a significantly reduced CO2e impact compared with the standard product.”
*Reported GWP reduction (%) is calculated by comparing the results for the GWP-total indicator across lifecycle modules A-C in accordance with EN 15804 +A2 using Scenario I – Incineration (reflecting regional waste management practice in Denmark) for module C3, as disclosed in the respective EPDs:
1.The standard product – Troldtekt acoustic panels, natural wood based on traditional white cement,
2.The LEC product – Troldtekt acoustic panels, natural wood based on a mineral-based LEC (Lower Embodied Carbon) binder.
https://www.epddanmark.dk/epd-databasen/troldtekt/
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The programme will provide funding to local organisations and community groups, delivering projects that make a positive difference across the local area. Applications have now been approved under one or more of the programme’s four priority themes:
The Community Benefit Programme reflects a shared commitment to ensuring the development leaves a positive legacy beyond the construction works, supporting initiatives that strengthen local communities and create opportunities for people living nearby.
Speaking about the launch, Darragh Elliott, CEO of Elliott Group, said: “Construction should leave more than buildings behind. It should leave opportunities, stronger communities and a lasting positive impact. Through the Community Benefit Programme, we are pleased to support the fantastic work already being carried out by local organisations and help create opportunities that will continue long after the project is complete.
We look forward to working alongside community groups throughout the lifetime of the project and seeing the difference these initiatives make.”
Sandra McAleer, Programme Manager for Dublin City Council commented; “This programme is about investing in the community alongside the development itself. Local organisations understand the needs of their communities better than anyone, and we are pleased to support projects that will have a meaningful and lasting impact for local people.”
Applications have been assessed against the programme’s priority themes, with funding awarded to projects that demonstrate clear community benefit and contribute to creating a stronger, more connected and more sustainable local area.
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Helen has been promoted to the position following an extensive career in Egis in which she has held a number of senior financial roles.
A native of Cahir, in Co Tipperary, Helen initially worked with National Toll Roads (NTR) and moved across to Egis when NTR’s operation and maintenance division was acquired by Egis in 2010. She has since served as Group Financial Controller for Egis Projects from 2011 to 2021 and since 2022 as Chief Financial Officer of Egis Ireland.
As part of a new restructuring, Egis Ireland is now part of Egis UK & Ireland. The move forms part of Egis’ ambition to significantly expand its operations across the UK and Ireland as priority markets. It also allows Egis to combine the strength of its teams in both Ireland and the UK to assist in addressing pressing infrastructure needs in both regions.
Announcing the appointment Alain Bruneau, Chief Financial Officer of Consulting & Operations at Egis Group said: “We are pleased to announce Helen’s appointment to this important position at a time when our clients are seeking to ensure infrastructure is operated and maintained to the highest standards with a particular emphasis on value for money, sustainability and resilience. Helen brings extensive experience and expertise to the role and is well-positioned to play a crucial part in managing and growing our operations and maintenance portfolio across the UK and Ireland.”
In her new role, Helen will lead on finance across Egis’ combined UK & Ireland Operations and Maintenance portfolio.
Helen Bray, Operations and Maintenance Finance Director, Egis UK & Ireland, said: “The UK & Ireland Operations & Maintenance business has grown significantly in recent years, and I am looking forward to supporting its ongoing development. I’m excited to work closely with colleagues to strengthen financial control, support contract-level performance and continue delivering for our clients.”
In Ireland, the portfolio includes the operation and maintenance of over 470km of motorways, the Dublin Tunnel and the Jack Lynch Tunnel. It also involves operating the Motorway Operations Control Centre, monitoring 1,200km of the national road network.
In the UK, it includes overseeing the operation of M40 motorway and operating the M25, as part of the Connect Plus Services consortium.
It also includes Mobiie, Egis’ joint venture with Arcadis, which operates the Traffic Scotland National Control Centre, monitoring over 3,500km of Scotland’s trunk road network on behalf of Transport Scotland.
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With extensive leadership experience in professional and representative organisations, Áine joins Engineers Ireland following more than four years as Chief Executive of the Charities Institute, the representative body for Ireland’s fundraising charities. She previously served as Director General and Registrar of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland, where she worked closely with its Board and Council to strengthen professional standards, governance, and member engagement.
Áine spent much of her earlier career as a Chartered Surveyor, working within the built environment alongside engineers, planners, and policymakers on infrastructure and development projects.
Áine succeeds outgoing Director General Damien Owens, who will retire in December following 16 years with Engineers Ireland. Damien joined the organisation as Registrar before becoming Director General in 2022.
Welcoming Áine Myler’s appointment, Dave Murphy, President of Engineers Ireland, said: “Áine brings significant experience leading professional organisations operating in the public interest, together with a strong understanding of the built environment and infrastructure sectors. Her experience working with governing bodies, strengthening professional standards, and engaging with members will be a valuable asset to Engineers Ireland.
“Engineers play a vital role in shaping Ireland’s future, from delivering critical infrastructure and advancing innovation to tackling climate change and supporting sustainable growth. We are confident that Áine’s leadership will help further strengthen the voice of our members and the contribution of engineering to national policy and economic decision-making.
“I also wish to pay special tribute to Damien, as he enters his final months with Engineers Ireland, for the enormous service he has given, not only to our organisation, but to the entire engineering profession, leading it to even greater strength during his tenure.”
Commenting on her appointment, Áine Myler said: “Engineering touches every part of our lives and is fundamental to Ireland’s future – from the infrastructure and technology we rely on every day to our ability to innovate, compete and respond to some of society’s biggest challenges.
“I am delighted to join Engineers Ireland at a time when the skills, expertise, and leadership of engineers have never been more important. I want to help ensure that engineering, across all its disciplines, has the profile and influence it deserves – that we continue to attract and develop the next generation of engineers, support the highest professional standards, and make the strongest possible case for engineering to be at the heart of decisions about Ireland’s education, infrastructure, and economic future.
“I look forward to working with Council, the team, and our members to build on Engineers Ireland’s strong foundations, champion the profession and ensure that its collective voice is heard.”
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ORS is carrying out a survey of a sample of Wicklow County Council’s social housing stock over the coming months. This survey forms part of the Council’s ongoing work to maintain up-to-date records on the condition of its housing stock and to support effective maintenance and housing management planning.
The ORS team responsible for managing and coordinating the inspections is available to assist with any queries regarding the survey, including questions about the inspection process, appointment arrangements, or access to the property. If you have any questions or require further information about the inspection, please contact the ORS project team using the details below. Our team will be happy to provide clarification and assist with any queries you may have.
ORS Project Phone: 01 726 9199
ORS Project Email: ors.inspections.wicklow@ors.ie
When contacting the project team, please provide the property address and, where applicable, the name of the tenant or the reference provided in the inspection correspondence. This will help the team locate the relevant property and respond to your query as efficiently as possible.
For queries relating directly to Wicklow County Council, including matters concerning your tenancy, housing services, or other Council-related issues outside the scope of the survey, you can contact Wicklow County Council directly using the details below.
Wicklow County Council: 0404 20120
Wicklow County Council Email: inspections@wicklowcoco.ie
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A recent High Court ruling has raised significant questions around how Ireland determines whether Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is required and it could have immediate implications for projects currently progressing through the planning system.
The decision in Shorten v An Coimisiún Pleanála IEHC 517, delivered on 24 July 2026, concerns the compatibility of Ireland’s “preliminary examination” approach with the requirements of the EU EIA Directive. While the case itself relates to a residential development in Glenealy, Co. Wicklow, the implications extend well beyond housing and could affect how EIA screening is approached across a much wider range of developments.
The Environmental Impact Assessment Directive (Directive 2011/92/EU, as amended by Directive 2014/52/EU) establishes the European framework for determining which projects require an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). The Directive identifies projects for which EIA is mandatory in Annex I (Schedule 5, Part 1 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended), while Annex II (Schedule 5, Part 2) identifies projects for which Member States must determine, through thresholds and/or case-by-case examination, whether significant effects on the environment are likely.
In Ireland, these EU requirements are transposed into the domestic planning system principally through the Planning and Development Act and the Planning and Development Regulations. The Regulations therefore provide the framework within which planning authorities and An Coimisiún Pleanála determine whether a proposed development falls within an EIA category and, where relevant, whether it is likely to have significant effects on the environment.
For Annex II projects below the relevant thresholds, the Irish regulations provide for consideration of whether the project is likely to have significant effects on the environment. In making a formal screening determination, the decision-maker must have regard to the selection criteria set out in Annex III of the EIA Directive (Schedule 7 of the Planning and Development Regulations).
The difficulty identified by the High Court in Shorten v An Coimisiún Pleanála IEHC 517 is whether Ireland’s existing “preliminary examination” mechanism provides a legally sufficient means of reaching the conclusion that formal EIA screening is not required.
The EIA Directive does not expressly provide for a separate “preliminary examination” stage. The question referred to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) is therefore, in essence, whether the Irish approach is compatible with the Directive’s requirements, including the obligation to determine whether an Annex II project is likely to have significant effects by reference to the relevant selection criteria.
This distinction is important in practice. A preliminary examination may conclude that it is clear that a project is not likely to have significant environmental effects, whereas a formal screening determination requires the competent authority to undertake the assessment by reference to the prescribed criteria in Schedule 7. The High Court’s referral therefore raises a fundamental question about whether the former can properly be relied upon instead of the latter.
The practical implications are already being felt. We are seeing increased scrutiny of EIA requirements on planning applications currently progressing through the system, including requests for formal EIA Screening Reports and associated information in circumstances where a preliminary assessment may previously have been considered sufficient.
For applicants and project teams, this creates an important practical consideration: an approach that may previously have been considered proportionate and sufficient may no longer provide the same level of certainty. Waiting for the CJEU to resolve the underlying legal question could take considerable time. In the meantime, applicants need to consider how best to manage the planning and environmental risk associated with their projects.
For projects currently in development or preparing for planning submission, it is worth reviewing the EIA position at an early stage. Where there is any uncertainty around whether a project requires EIA screening, project teams should consider whether it is more appropriate to prepare the information required for formal screening, rather than relying solely on a preliminary examination. .
This is particularly relevant where a project is close to submission, where the planning programme is critical, or where additional requests for information could have implications for programme and cost
The key point is not that every project now requires an EIA Screening Report. Rather, the threshold for deciding that formal screening is unnecessary has become a much more important issue to consider and document carefully.
The situation reinforces the value of bringing environmental expertise into a project early. A robust environmental strategy should not simply ask whether an EIA is ultimately required. It should consider the appropriate screening route, the information needed to support the decision, the potential planning programme implications and how environmental issues can be addressed before they become a source of delay.
At ORS, our Environmental Services team works with developers, design teams and planning consultants from the earliest stages of project development. Our experienced specialists can advise on EIA screening requirements, prepare screening documentation and help project teams navigate the evolving regulatory and planning environment.
Our approach is deliberately practical: identify the risk early, understand what information is required, and provide the environmental input needed to keep projects moving.
The Shorten decision is particularly timely given the wider changes taking place within Ireland’s planning and development framework. The Planning and Development Act 2024 and associated regulations are expected to bring further changes to how environmental assessment and screening operate. For project teams, the lesson is straightforward: environmental assessment is becoming an increasingly important part of programme management, not simply a planning compliance exercise. The legal position will ultimately depend on the outcome of the CJEU process and any subsequent changes to Irish legislation or guidance. Until then, developers and their professional advisers should consider carefully whether their projects are adequately protected against the risks associated with EIA screening.
If you have a project currently in the planning pipeline and would like to discuss the implications of the Shorten decision, our Environmental Services team would be happy to advise. Email us at info@ors.ie or call +353 1524 2060.
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The population increased by 66,900, or 1.2%, during the 12-month period to reach an estimated 5,525,600.
While the pace of growth eased from the previous year, the figures highlight the continuing requirement for new housing and sustained investment in transport, utilities, healthcare, education and other essential infrastructure.
Net inward migration accounted for 72% of the annual population increase. A total of 110,600 people immigrated to Ireland during the year, while 62,500 emigrated, resulting in positive net migration of 48,100.
Immigration fell by 12% compared with the previous 12-month period, while net migration was 19% lower. However, this was the fifth successive year in which more than 100,000 people immigrated to Ireland.
Dublin’s population reached almost 1.6m, representing 28.9% of the State’s total population. The proportion living in the capital has increased from 28.3% in 2020, underlining the continued development and infrastructure pressures facing the region.
The figures also point to a changing demographic profile. The number of people aged 65 and over rose to 891,100, an increase of 165,000 since 2020. This age group now accounts for 16.1% of the population, reinforcing the growing need for accessible housing, healthcare facilities and age-friendly communities.
Meanwhile, the number of children aged between 0 and 14 fell below one million for the first time since 2014, standing at 992,400.
More than half of both immigrants and emigrants were aged between 25 and 44. Of the 62,500 people who left Ireland, 35,400 were Irish citizens, compared with 30,200 Irish citizens who returned, resulting in net outward migration of 5,200 Irish citizens.
CSO statistician Conor J Crowley said Ireland’s population was estimated at 5.526m following an increase of 66,900 during the year.
Although the latest figures show a moderation in population growth, the addition of almost 67,000 people in a single year continues to place a strong emphasis on the delivery of homes and the infrastructure required to support expanding and changing communities.
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The Rowan team landed in Ennis to workshop with our clients at Rengen Power. Rengen Power are a fantastic renewable energy development company, with a portfolio of onshore wind projects at varying stages of acquisition and development, together with operational projects under management. One of the reasons we enjoy working with the Rengen Power team…
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20th August 2026
The Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke TD, today announced the establishment of the Advisory Council on the Semiconductor Sector, a key milestone in the implementation of Silicon Island: Ireland’s National Semiconductor Strategy.
The new Council will provide independent expert advice to the Minister and Government on the continued development of Ireland’s semiconductor sector, helping to shape policy, strengthen competitiveness and support the delivery of the ambitions set out in Silicon Island.
Chaired by Dr Ann Kelleher, former Senior Vice President at Intel Corporation, the industry-led Council brings together distinguished leaders from across the semiconductor ecosystem, including multinational industry representatives, indigenous enterprise leaders, investors and research experts.
Announcing the establishment of the Council, Minister Burke said:
“The establishment of the Advisory Council on the Semiconductor Sector marks an important milestone in the delivery of Silicon Island and demonstrates our commitment to strengthening Ireland’s position as a global leader in semiconductors. The sector is strategically important to Ireland’s economic future, and the Council’s expertise will help guide the next phase of growth, innovation and international competitiveness.By bringing together leaders from industry, research and investment, we are creating a strong platform to support collaboration, inform policy and ensure Ireland is well positioned to seize emerging opportunities in this rapidly evolving sector.”
Minister Burke also announced the appointment of Dr Ann Kelleher as Chair of the Advisory Council. Welcoming her appointment, the Minister said:
“I am delighted that Dr Ann Kelleher has agreed to serve as Chair of the Advisory Council. Her exceptional leadership, global experience and deep understanding of the semiconductor industry will be invaluable in guiding the Council’s work. I would also like to thank all Council members for their willingness to contribute their expertise to this important national initiative.”
Speaking following her appointment, Dr Kelleher said:
“I am honoured to chair the Advisory Council on the Semiconductor Sector and thank Minister Burke for the opportunity to contribute to this important national initiative. Ireland has built world-class capabilities in semiconductors over many decades. I look forward to working with Council members and stakeholders across industry, academia and Government to help deliver the ambitions of Silicon Island and further strengthen Ireland’s position within the global semiconductor ecosystem.”
The Advisory Council has been established for an initial three-year term and will monitor the implementation of Silicon Island, advise the Minister on sectoral priorities, support collaboration across Government and enterprise agencies, and provide strategic recommendations on future opportunities and challenges facing the semiconductor industry.
Dr Ann Kelleher is former Senior Vice President of Technology Development at Intel Corporation. During a distinguished 30-year career, she held senior engineering and leadership roles across Intel’s Irish and international operations, culminating in responsibility for the company’s global technology development programmes and advanced semiconductor process technologies.
The Council comprises senior leaders from industry, investment, research and innovation, including:
The Advisory Council will:
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Constructing Equality Ireland will focus on improving the recruitment, retention and career progression of women throughout the sector. Facilitated by Business in the Community Ireland, the industry-led initiative will develop practical, evidence-based measures that can be adopted by construction organisations of different sizes and at varying stages of their equality journey.
The programme has been established by a group of Founding Partners, with the Construction Industry Federation (CIF) and Women in Construction Ireland (WICI) also represented on its Steering Group.
Despite progress within individual businesses, women remain underrepresented at every level of the industry. In addition to making up only 10.9% of the workforce, women hold just 9.1% of construction board positions and 15.2% of senior leadership roles.
Constructing Equality Ireland is based on the recognition that many of the obstacles affecting women’s careers are shared across the sector and require a coordinated response. By combining industry knowledge, lived experience and research, the coalition aims to turn common challenges into practical actions capable of delivering lasting change.
As an initial pilot programme, Constructing Equality Ireland will host a series of industry roundtables focused on early career recruitment and the retention of women in construction. Open to organisations of all sizes across the built environment sector, these discussions will inform the development of an industry-wide Gender Equality Action Plan, providing practical and scalable actions that organisations can adopt regardless of their size, resources or level of maturity. The first roundtable will be held on 6th October 2026, and more details will be released soon.
Tomás Sercovich, CEO of Business in the Community Ireland (BITCI), remarked “At a time when the built environment sector is growing and infrastructure projects are becoming more ambitious, we cannot afford to leave half of our population behind and excluded from the immense and diverse employment opportunities available. BITCI is privileged to bring its expertise on facilitating a multi-sector collective action campaign to truly move the dial and make fulfilling careers a reality for women in the built environment sector. Coalitions like these require significant leadership and long-term perspective and we commend the Founding Partners for their ambition, innovation and systemic approach.”
Amy Martin, EDI Partner at Sisk, and Chair of Constructing Equality Ireland said: “As a woman working in construction, I’ve experienced first-hand the progress our industry has made and the barriers that still exist. Many of the challenges facing women in construction are not unique to one organisation. They are shared across our industry, and lasting change will only happen when we move beyond isolated efforts and work together. It requires collaboration, commitment and action.
Constructing Equality Ireland creates a platform for collective action, bringing organisations together to share experiences, turn shared challenges into shared solutions, and accelerate progress for women across the built environment. No single organisation has all the answers, but together we have an opportunity to drive meaningful and lasting change for the future of our industry.”
Andrew Brownlee, Chief Executive at the Construction Industry Federation (CIF), highlighted “Building a more diverse construction industry is essential to attracting the talent, skills and leadership Ireland will need to deliver its future housing and infrastructure. While progress is being made, the continued underrepresentation of women across the sector shows that no organisation can address this challenge in isolation.
Constructing Equality Ireland provides an important platform for industry to work collectively, share evidence and develop practical actions that support women to enter, remain and progress within construction. CIF is pleased to support this initiative and looks forward to helping ensure that the resulting Gender Equality Action Plan is relevant, scalable and capable of being implemented by businesses of every size across the sector.”
Constructing Equality Ireland’s Founding Partners are AstraZeneca, Bord Gáis Energy, Designer Group, Dornan Engineering, John Paul Construction, John Sisk & Son, Jones Engineering, Kirby Group Engineering, Turner & Townsend, and Walls Construction. Facilitated by Business in the Community Ireland
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In recognition of the project’s achievements, BREEAM has named Luas Finglas as a finalist under the People & Communities category in their upcoming awards in September.
BREEAM standards are the world’s leading science-based frameworks for assessing, validating and certifying sustainability in the built environment. BREEAM standards cover every stage of the built environment, from design and construction through operation to refurbishment, and can be used anywhere in the world.
Egis was appointed by TII to undertake the Luas Finglas Preliminary Design and Statutory Process. This stage of the proposed Luas Finglas project required Egis to develop a reference design to support a Railway Order Application to An Coimisiún Pleanála. As part of this process, Egis undertook a Public Life Tool Assessment of open spaces along the proposed route to better understand existing patterns of use and identify opportunities to enhance public benefit. This assessment drew on research methodologies developed by Jan Gehl and the Gehl Institute, using data collection techniques to map public life and analyse the physical and social characteristics of public spaces.
The People & Communities category, under which the project has been shortlisted, measures the social value created by development. Its purpose is to ensure infrastructure projects prioritise occupant health, deliver local community benefits, and build consensus through early engagement with both public and private stakeholders.
David Weldon, Head of Light Rail, Dublin Metropolitan Area, TII said: “BREEAM Infrastructure has played a central role in embedding measurable sustainability outcomes into Luas Finglas from the outset. It has driven a clear focus on carbon, materials and community performance, while fostering strong collaboration across the TII and Egis project team. Achieving a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating reflects TII’s commitment to delivering high quality, sustainable public transport infrastructure that creates long-term value for the communities it will serve.”
Luas Finglas demonstrates the wider benefits light rail can deliver beyond transport. The project achieved an Excellent rating of 83.73%, demonstrating strong performance across eight BREEAM categories: Management; Resources (Materials & Waste); Energy & Carbon; Water; Land Use & Ecology; Pollution; Resilience & Adaptation; and People & Communities (Social Value/Stakeholders).
The proposed extension, connecting Broombridge to Finglas, was shaped through extensive stakeholder engagement, gender-sensitive design, and detailed public life analysis to better understand how people interact with the surrounding environment. The scheme integrates accessible transport infrastructure with 70% green track, enhanced cycling routes, and reimagined public spaces that prioritise inclusivity and long-term community benefit.
The extension will improve connectivity for communities in Finglas and Charlestown, support regeneration and economic growth, encourage a shift from private car use to public transport, and integrate walking and cycling infrastructure throughout the corridor. It also places a strong emphasis on accessibility, social inclusion and environmental enhancement, including biodiversity measures and extensive landscaping.
The project’s recognition as a finalist in the internationally renowned BREEAM Awards reflects the strength of its integrated approach to sustainable infrastructure design, development, and long-term community value. The People & Communities category, under which the project has been shortlisted, measures the social value created by development. Its purpose is to ensure infrastructure projects prioritise occupant health, deliver local community benefits, and build consensus through early engagement with both public and private stakeholders.
Julien Phan Hoang Director of Rail from Egis said:“Achieving an Excellent BREEAM Infrastructure rating is a significant milestone for Luas Finglas and reflects the high sustainability standards embedded throughout its design. Environmental innovation and stakeholder engagement have played a central role in shaping decisions around carbon, biodiversity, materials and the needs of local communities. As the first transport project in Ireland to achieve this standard, Luas Finglas sets a new benchmark for sustainable light rail and reflects Egis’ commitment as a designer to delivering infrastructure that creates lasting value for communities and the environment.”
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The homes were delivered in partnership between Co-operative Housing Ireland, Cheeverstown, Kildare County Council, South Dublin County Council, the Department of Housing Local Government and Heritage, the HSE and Lagan Homes.
To mark the occasion an event was held, which saw project partners from Cheeverstown and Co-operative Housing Ireland staff come together with Member Tenants and their family members in celebration of the new homes and the positive impact the homes have already had on the Member Tenants, their families and those that support them.
Co-operative Housing Ireland was represented on the day by Eoin Carroll, Director of Corporate Services, who said:
“We’re celebrating what can be achieved in partnership. Going it alone for Cheeverstown in providing these homes was a difficult ask for an organisation focused on providing the best possible care to their clients. Co-operative Housing Ireland were delighted to come on board, and with the support of Kildare County Council and the Department of Housing, we were able to make this happen.”
Hillfort is located a short distance from Kill Village and is very much integrated into the local community. The homes support Cheeverstown’s commitment to community-based supported living, enabling people with intellectual disabilities to live in their own homes with access to the support they need.
Each of the four bungalows have been designed with accessibility and long-term sustainability in mind. The inclusion of Air to Water heat pumps ensures better value for money, which is so important within the current context of spikes in energy costs, as well as being environmentally responsible by reducing carbon emissions.
All of the Co-operative Housing Ireland Member Tenants residing in these homes are supported by Cheeverstown’s wraparound care model. Two households, in particular, are provided with 24-hour access to support staff. This promotes long-term stability and inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities within the community.
Though the tenancy is unique, Co-operative Housing Ireland’s Member Tenant policies are applied in the same way as all other Member Tenants, ensuring they are afforded the same rights and responsibilities.
Denise Fahy, Director of Operations and Service Developments for Cheeverstown, said “The future is built through partnerships that recognise ability, create opportunity and strengthen communities.”
Further reflecting Co-operative Housing Ireland’s inclusive ethos, families were closely involved in the allocation process, with multiple property viewings ensuring satisfaction with both the layout and location. Externally, wheelchair-accessible gardens and wrap-around paving support mobility and independent living, reinforcing Co-operative Housing Ireland’s commitment to barrier-free design.
These characteristics, while integrated into the overall development, strongly support the values of sustainability, inclusion, and equitable access, going beyond standard provision to deliver a truly supportive and integrated living environment.
This event allowed partners, Member Tenants and family members to meet and see the difference that these homes have truly made.
Sharon Mahon, a Healthcare Assistant for Cheeverstown, commented, “As a staff member, I’d know these people longer than my own kids. Their quality of life has just completely changed. I keep saying that it’s the difference between day and night, it’s just a new lease of life. They’re not excluded, they’re a part of the community, the coffee shop knows them and there is a real sense of belonging here, it’s a really happy environment.”
Also in attendance on the day was Elaine Wilkinson, Facilities Manager for Cheeverstown, who said,“Everybody should have the right to live in a house in the community, with neighbours next door, rather than in a congregated setting with a large group of people they did not choose to live with.
They should have the same opportunities as everyone else. They should be able to walk to the local chemist or shops and make individual choices about where they would like to go. We always did our best to make the Cheeverstown campus welcoming and facilitate family visits, but it was not the same as being in someone’s home. Here, they have a key to their own home.”
Rory McCormack moved into his new home in Hillfort last year. Although he has lived in other places throughout his life, the only place Rory had ever called home was his family home. Since moving to Hillfort, that has changed. “This is my home.”
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The new homes are being developed at Kennedy Quay next to the River Lee. The project is a core part of the ongoing regeneration of the Cork Docklands and will act as a catalyst for further redevelopment in the immediate and surrounding area.
The 103 homes include 45-one-bed, 42 two-bed and 16 three-bed apartments.
Construction is due to start in the coming weeks and will take approximately 27 months to complete, meaning residents could be living in the first of the new A-rated homes by the end of 2028
The new riverside apartments are superbly located. The development site is adjacent to the former Odlums flour mill and within walking distance of the proposed route of the LUAS Cork and near key locations such as Kent Station, the Marina Promenade and Páirc Uí Chaoimh
The homes are being developed in partnership with O’Callaghan Properties as part of the LDA’s Project Tosaigh homebuilder partnership initiative.
This is where the Agency partners with private homebuilders, providing the financial stimulus required to ensure the construction and completion of new homes.
This is the first Project Tosaigh partnership between the LDA and O’Callaghan Properties, one of the country’s largest privately-owned property development firms.
In addition to the development of the LDA homes, O’Callaghan Properties has further plans to transform the immediate Kennedy Quay area to create a dynamic and sustainable new waterfront neighbourhood in Cork’s Docklands.
This includes the provision of commercial and retail space, as well as further residential development. The company is also planning to restore and return the iconic Odlums mill building to use.
The building was originally constructed around 1892 as a granary, and was previously a busy and distinctive landmark on the city’s quays, housing offices, storage facilities and an active mill. The company is planning to announce details of its restoration and redevelopment plans in the coming months.
As part of this work, the external facades of the Odlums building are to be retained. Significant features of architectural and industrial heritage interest from the building have already been carefully removed and salvaged and it is intended to feature some of these internally and externally within future phases of the wider Kennedy Quay development, where feasible.
The new housing development is the first phase of the regeneration of Kennedy Quay and will add significantly to the LDA’s delivery pipeline in Cork. Across the River Lee, the Agency is nearing completion on 302 apartments at Horgan’s Quay in partnership with BAM and Clarendon Properties and the LDA is partnering with Glenveagh at Marina Depot in the South Docks, where 337 new homes are under construction.
The Agency is also on site delivering 267 homes at the former St Kevin’s Hospital site in Shanakiel, and it has secured planning permission for 345 homes on former ESB lands in Wilton, and 147 at Anglesea Terrace in Cork City Centre as part of a partnership with Cork City Council.
Meanwhile, a site in Kilbarry in Cork, with the potential to deliver approximately 1,000 homes, has been transferred to the LDA by IDA Ireland, while another in Cork’s South Docks, with the potential to deliver 300 homes, has been transferred to the Agency by BnM.
James Browne, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage said: “I am delighted to welcome plans to develop over a hundred much-needed homes in the heart of Cork’s iconic docklands. These A-rated apartments will provide wonderful homes in a fantastic, vibrant, and central location close to essential amenities and attractions. I would like to commend the work of the LDA in conjunction with O’Callaghan Properties as part of Project Tosaigh and I think it really underscores how both the public and private sector can work together effectively to build the homes we need to reach the ambitious targets set out in our Housing Action Plan, ‘Delivering Homes, Building Communities’.
John Coleman, Chief Executive of the Land Development Agency said: “This is a very welcome partnership between the LDA and O’Callaghan Properties and we look forward to delivering a great place for people to live in a fantastic part of Cork. The 103 homes are being developed in a prime location in Cork’s South Docks and the project will serve as a key component in the wider and ongoing transformation of the Cork Docklands, which the LDA is actively involved in. All the homes will be A-Rated and well-served, with Cork City Centre and the area’s key attractions and amenities within easy walking distance. The LDA is pleased to be working with an experienced delivery partner in O’Callaghan Properties and excited to be adding to our already significant and growing pipeline of new homes in Cork.”
Brian O’Callaghan, Managing Director of O’Callaghan Properties said: “This development is a really positive example of the State and the private sector collaborating to develop much-needed homes. Our partnership with the LDA and Cork City Council not only delivers new housing, it serves as a catalyst for further development in Cork’s South Docks.
“Cork city is undergoing rapid, transformative change at present with a suite of exciting transportation, infrastructural and recreational strategies being implemented. Our company has been part of Cork’s growth and development for over five decades and we are pleased to be involved in the Docklands project which is re-imagining the city in so many wonderful ways.”
Valerie O’Sullivan, Chief Executive of Cork City Council, said: “This is another welcome step in the continued development of Cork Docklands and the delivery of new and affordable homes in the city. Today’s announcement is further evidence that the Government’s commitment to Cork City Docklands through the Towns and Cities Regeneration Investment Fund is bearing fruit. These funding investments are resulting in significant residential and commercial development in the area, with about 7,000 people employed and 800 apartments currently under construction.”
“Kennedy Quay is a key feature within the wider regeneration of the Docklands, serving to connect the city centre with the South Docks. The light rail connection and the backdrop of a new waterfront will have a dynamic effect on footfall in the area and revitalise it.”
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The collaboration is the first partnership of its kind between an airport and a commercial organisation in Ireland and the United Kingdom, reflecting both Cork Airport’s commitment to operational excellence and PRM Engineering’s reputation for dependable project delivery.
For PRM Engineering, the partnership represents more than a sponsorship. It is a strategic investment in the company’s future and a statement of its ambition to become one of the most trusted Mechanical and Electrical contractors in Munster.
Every year, Cork Airport welcomes millions of passengers, including business leaders, engineering professionals, facilities managers, consultants and project decision-makers travelling to and from many of Ireland’s leading pharmaceutical, medical device and industrial organisations. By partnering with Cork Airport, PRM Engineering is placing its brand at the heart of one of the region’s most important business gateways.
Building trust
Headquartered in Carrignavar, Co. Cork, PRM Engineering delivers complex Mechanical and Electrical projects across the pharmaceutical, medical device and industrial sectors.
While the company is relatively new, its leadership team brings more than 20 years of industry experience delivering technically demanding projects throughout Ireland. That experience, combined with a highly skilled workforce and a disciplined approach to project delivery, has enabled PRM to establish a strong reputation for quality workmanship, technical expertise and reliable delivery.
Today, the company works with some of the world’s leading pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers operating in Munster, including Alcon and Boston Scientific, supporting projects where careful planning, technical coordination and consistently high standards are essential.
PRM provides a comprehensive range of Mechanical and Electrical services, supporting clients from early planning and installation through to commissioning and project handover. Its expertise includes HVAC systems, process piping, mechanical building services, utility infrastructure, specialist lift and installation services and complex plant installations within live manufacturing environments.
Building on shared values
The partnership with Cork Airport is underpinned by a shared commitment to reliability, performance and delivering on expectations.
Time is a critical factor in successful project delivery. Careful planning, effective coordination and dependable operations all contribute to keeping complex engineering projects moving safely, efficiently and to programme. For PRM, the connection between time and reliable delivery is therefore particularly relevant.
Becoming Cork Airport’s Official Time Partner brings that connection to life, aligning Cork Airport’s focus on punctuality and operational performance with PRM’s commitment to delivering quality work for its clients.
For PRM Engineering, the association is a natural fit.
Peter Murphy, Managing Director of PRM Engineering, said: “We’ve never set out to be the biggest contractor. Our ambition has always been to become one of the most trusted.
“Everything we do is built on relationships, experience and doing what we say we’ll do. This partnership with Cork Airport reflects where PRM is today, but more importantly where we’re going as a business.
“As a proud Cork company, we’re delighted to partner with one of the region’s best-known organisations while continuing to support the pharmaceutical, medical device and industrial sectors that are driving growth across Munster.”
Investing in the future
The partnership also reflects PRM Engineering’s continued investment in building its profile within the sectors it serves.
As pharmaceutical and advanced manufacturing investment across Munster continues to grow, the company is focused on increasing awareness of its capabilities among clients, consultants, project managers and industry partners responsible for delivering increasingly complex engineering projects.
Through its work, PRM has developed a reputation for delivering projects where careful coordination, technical expertise and dependable execution are critical to success. The Cork Airport partnership reinforces that commitment while providing a unique platform to showcase the company’s capabilities to thousands of business travellers every week.
For clients, the message is straightforward.
PRM Engineering combines the experience of an established team with the energy and responsiveness of a growing business, delivering Mechanical and Electrical solutions that help some of Ireland’s leading manufacturers operate, expand and invest with confidence.
As the company continues its growth journey, its focus remains unchanged: building long-term relationships, delivering quality projects and becoming one of the most trusted Mechanical and Electrical contractors in Munster.
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The appointment marks a major milestone in the delivery of one of the most significant civic and cultural projects undertaken in Dublin in recent decades. The project will anchor the transformation of Parnell Square into a vibrant cultural quarter centred around a new City Library, creating a unique destination that brings together literature, art, heritage and community while supporting the regeneration of Dublin’s north inner city.
Phase 1 will deliver a state-of-the-art City Library at Parnell Square North, comprising a new five-storey library building of more than 6,100 square metres together with the conservation and renewal of the historic Georgian terrace at Nos. 23–28 Parnell Square North, including the full refurbishment of No. 26. The project also includes major upgrades to the Hugh Lane Gallery’s 1930s wing and the creation of a direct internal link through Charlemont House, establishing a seamless cultural corridor between the Gallery and the new City Library.
The new City Library will replace the existing Central Library at the Ilac Centre, providing a modern, accessible and inclusive civic space designed to meet the needs of a growing capital city and to reflect Dublin’s internationally recognised status as a UNESCO City of Literature.
The development forms a central part of Dublin City Council’s wider city centre regeneration programme and is expected to act as a catalyst for economic, cultural and community renewal in the north inner city. By increasing footfall, attracting visitors, supporting local businesses and encouraging further investment, the project will contribute significantly to the long-term revitalisation of the area.
Located at the northern end of Dublin’s Civic Spine, the new library will strengthen connections between Parnell Square, O’Connell Street, College Green, Dame Street, Dublin Castle and Christchurch. Together with the Hugh Lane Gallery, it will create a major cultural destination and civic amenity for residents, workers and visitors alike.
Phase 1 has an estimated all-in project cost of €173.2 million. Funding is being provided through a combination of support from the Towns and Cities Regeneration Investment Fund and Dublin City Council resources. Government support of €105.14 million has been confirmed, demonstrating a strong national commitment to the regeneration of Dublin city centre and the delivery of this landmark project.
Lord Mayor of Dublin Daryl Barron said,”The commencement of construction on the Parnell Square Cultural Quarter marks a defining moment for Dublin and for the future of our city centre. This landmark project will deliver a world-class City Library, restore and celebrate some of Dublin’s most important historic buildings, and create a vibrant cultural and civic destination in the heart of our capital. It is an investment in learning, creativity, heritage and community that will benefit Dubliners for generations to come.
This project will play a key role in the regeneration of Dublin city centre and the north inner city, bringing new life, activity and investment to the area. It strongly complements the work of the Dublin City Taskforce and our wider ambition to create a safer, more vibrant and more attractive city centre where people want to live, work, study, visit and enjoy all that Dublin has to offer.”
Welcoming the appointment of Purcell Construction Limited and the commencement of construction, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne TD said, “I am very pleased today to be able to announce a significant step forward for this flagship project for the North Inner City. With investment of over €100 million through my Department’s Towns and Cities Regeneration Investment Fund, this Government is supporting the delivery of one of the most significant cultural and civic projects in the State. This significant investment highlights the Government’s commitment to revitalising this area and paving the way for further projects to be delivered in support of the Dublin City Taskforce.
“The new City Library will provide a world-class public facility for Dublin while supporting regeneration, community development, and the sustainable reuse of our built heritage right here in the heart of the city centre. This is a project that will deliver lasting cultural, social and economic benefits for Dublin for future generations.
“As promised in the Programme for Government, the Towns and Cities Regeneration Investment Fund enables local authorities to deliver transformative and impactful projects right across the country. As we will no doubt see here in Dublin’s inner city through this project, this fund can help regenerate our towns and cities so they can become more attractive and vibrant places in which people choose to live and work, as well as to visit and invest in.”
Dublin City Council Chief Executive Richard Shakespeare said, This announcement is the culmination of many years of planning, design development and collaboration. The new City Library will be a landmark civic building that supports education, culture, creativity and lifelong learning while contributing significantly to the regeneration of Dublin’s north inner city. We look forward to working closely with stakeholders and the local community to successfully deliver this transformative project.”
Derek Timlin, Managing Director of Purcell Construction Limited said, “We are delighted to be partnering with Dublin City Council on the delivery of this landmark project. As construction gets underway, our focus will be on working collaboratively with all stakeholders to deliver a project of the highest quality while minimising impacts on the local community. We look forward to playing our part in creating a new City Library and cultural quarter that will become a source of pride for Dublin and a destination for visitors from Ireland and beyond.”
City Librarian Mairead Owens said,”The new City Library will be much more than a library. It will be a civic space where everyone feels welcome and included; a place to read, learn, create, collaborate and participate in the cultural life of the city. With maker spaces, creative studios, performance facilities, event spaces and modern learning environments, the library will support innovation, imagination and lifelong learning for generations to come.”
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As part of this investment, the company will create 54 new jobs throughout the country by summer 2027, bringing its Irish workforce to 250. A further 48 new jobs will be filled by 2029, bringing the total workforce at the company to almost 300 in the next three years.
These new positions are part of a significant investment into the company’s expansion following strong growth in demand for water filtration and softening services, alongside bottled water across commercial, public sector and home segments. The new positions will enhance the customer service experience, including roles such as water filtration and water softening technicians, customer service assistants and delivery drivers who will serve customers nationwide.
With depots located in Dublin, Galway and Cork, the investment will help the company expand its delivery fleet, which is already the industry’s largest in-house delivery team in Ireland.
“We are fortunate to have high-quality, natural water sources in Ireland, but many still struggle to navigate hard water, limescale, chlorine and other contaminants,” said John O’Connor, Managing Director, Culligan Ireland. “Our investment enables us to sustainably enhance Culligan Ireland’s services and solutions for businesses and households across Ireland.”
Each year Culligan teams deliver more than 600,000 reusable 19-litre water bottle drums to businesses across Ireland. Leveraging various solutions, this amounts to over 11.35 million litres of water per annum, eliminating the need for vast quantities of single-use plastic bottles. Additionally, Culligan services and solutions have helped reduce the need for 45 billion single-use plastic bottles globally.
Since 2023, Culligan Ireland has grown its workforce by 55%, reflecting its revenue growth and the growing national demand for filtered, sustainable water at work and home.
“As we expand our workforce by 54 new team members by summer 2027, and further over the next three years, our focus remains on delivering exceptional customer experiences,” O’Connor continued. “Our proposition is unique in this market – we design and build our products. At Culligan, we are incredibly proud to operate the industry’s largest delivery fleet, with unmatched water service experience and high-quality solutions.”
Culligan Ireland’s growth builds on a series of brand acquisitions in recent years, including Tipperary Water and Glenpatrick Water’s commercial drinking divisions, alongside the acquisition of Celtic Water Solutions and Waterlogic. Today, Culligan is the largest provider of water filtration services in Ireland.
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For architects and engineers, passive fire protection is rarely difficult in principle. The challenge is translating the fire strategy into details that can actually be constructed, inspected, maintained and documented once several trades begin occupying the same walls, floors, shafts and service zones.
A compartment wall on a drawing is straightforward. On site, that same wall may eventually accommodate cable trays, drainage, plastic and metallic pipework, ventilation systems, electrical containment and specialist services. Each penetration has to work with the fire-resisting construction rather than simply being treated as another M&E coordination item.
On apartment schemes, housing developments, healthcare facilities and larger commercial projects, specialist fire stopping input during design can resolve many of these interfaces while layouts and service routes can still be adjusted.
Early passive fire protection input allows architects and engineers to examine how proposed compartmentation will interact with the services that eventually have to pass through it.
The Building Regulations apply to the design and construction of new buildings in Ireland, and Technical Guidance Document B provides guidance on meeting the fire safety requirements of Part B. Primary responsibility for Building Regulations compliance rests with designers, builders and building owners.
For buildings other than dwelling houses, the current government publication is Technical Guidance Document B 2024 – Fire Safety, Volume 1, Buildings Other than Dwelling Houses (2026 Edition).
Those requirements establish the regulatory framework. Specialist input is concerned with translating the fire strategy into workable construction details.
Apparently minor decisions can have significant consequences later. Riser dimensions, the position and size of service openings, spacing between penetrations and the selected wall or floor construction can all influence which tested fire stopping solutions are suitable.
When services have already been installed, the available options are naturally more restricted. The design team may then be trying to accommodate an arrangement that was never considered from a fire stopping perspective.
A specialist looks at the complete penetration rather than an individual service.
The wall may have the required fire resistance and the services may be properly coordinated from an M&E perspective, but the eventual penetration also involves the substrate, opening size, service type and dimensions, insulation, spacing, support arrangements and the tested fire stopping system intended to protect it.
Practical installation experience becomes particularly useful in congested areas.
It is not unusual to review a detail that appears reasonable on a coordinated drawing but becomes difficult once several services converge within a confined riser. Containment, brackets or pipework may be positioned immediately against the compartment line, leaving inadequate access to prepare the opening or achieve the required seal depth.
A relatively small adjustment to the service arrangement at design stage may resolve the detail. Once containment and services have been fixed, the same adjustment can involve considerably more work.
Service risers bring several disciplines together within a limited area and are particularly sensitive to changes between design and installation.
A typical apartment riser can contain electrical containment, telecommunications infrastructure, soil and waste pipework, water and heating services, together with other building systems. These services have to cross relevant compartment lines without undermining the intended fire separation.
On completed buildings, risers are also one of the areas where differences between drawings and installed conditions are frequently encountered. There may be more services than anticipated, openings can become larger and routes can move as installation progresses. Services shown with adequate separation during coordination may arrive at the floor slab much closer together.
Before construction, it is worth establishing whether there is sufficient space to install the proposed fire stopping system and whether the penetration arrangement can be supported by an appropriate tested detail. Access for installation and subsequent inspection also needs to be considered.
Those points are considerably easier to resolve while the riser layout is still being coordinated than once services are in place.
Fire stopping is sometimes left as a specialist package to be resolved after the main construction details and service routes have already been developed. That can introduce uncertainty into the tender.
Where the compartmentation strategy, penetration types and likely service arrangements are understood, the fire stopping scope can be defined more accurately. Suitable systems can be considered against the proposed construction, quantities assessed with greater confidence and unusual interfaces raised before work starts.
This gives quantity surveyors and design teams clearer information when assessing tenders and reduces the amount of uncertainty that a specialist contractor has to allow for in pricing.
Flame Stop’s tender preparation process includes identifying fire stopping elements and developing cost-effective solutions appropriate to the relevant construction and project requirements.
Some of the more difficult fire stopping problems encountered during construction are coordination issues rather than failures in the underlying fire strategy.
A heavily congested opening through a compartment wall or floor is a typical example. Several services may have been installed independently, leaving limited clearances and insufficient space to install the intended fire stopping system in accordance with its tested configuration.
Containment fixed too close to a wall presents another familiar problem. The visible face may be accessible, while the area behind the tray or basket cannot be properly reached for preparation and sealing.
At that stage, the available remedies can include repositioning services, altering openings or introducing additional construction. These are avoidable complications on a project where programmes and follow-on finishes are already progressing.
Good passive fire protection relies on continuity of information between the fire strategy, detailed design and what is eventually constructed.
Changes during construction need to be captured. Revised service routes may require different penetration solutions, while product substitutions and altered site conditions need appropriate consideration. The installation ultimately inspected should correspond with the project information being handed over.
Irish building control procedures reinforce the importance of that record. In most relevant projects, completion documentation includes the Certificate of Compliance on Completion together with supporting compliance documentation and the Inspection Plan as implemented.
Guidance for the certification process also recognises that Assigned Certifiers may rely on specialist works contractors for ancillary completion certificates and should satisfy themselves regarding the certification provided by those specialists.
Clear records throughout the works make it easier for the project team to establish what was actually installed rather than relying solely on design-stage information.
Much of a fire stopping installation eventually becomes concealed. Once ceilings are closed, risers completed and finishes installed, meaningful inspection becomes considerably more difficult.
Recording the work while access remains available is therefore important.
Photographs, locations, installation details and records of remedial actions allow individual installations to be reviewed before they disappear behind later construction. They also provide a more useful project record than attempting to reconstruct the installation history at completion.
Flame Stop operates an ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System and uses industry-specific Boris software to monitor works in real time. This provides traceability during installation and supports the documentation required at project handover.
Technical competence is only part of the assessment. On larger projects, the specialist needs to understand drawings and fire strategy information, recognise difficult interfaces and provide useful technical input where site conditions differ from the original assumptions.
The ability to engage before installation is also relevant. Identifying a problematic penetration while reviewing the proposed arrangement is preferable to discovering it once several trades have completed their work around it.
Flame Stop’s service provision includes:
For architects, engineers and main contractors assessing fire stopping contractors Ireland, the ability to deal with related fire protection works while maintaining clear project records can simplify coordination on more complex schemes.
Flame Stop can become involved while the project is still being developed rather than only when fire stopping installation begins.
Certified staff can undertake building analysis, surveys and reporting for consideration by the client or fire consultant. On refurbishment projects, this can help establish the condition of existing compartmentation and identify previous alterations before new works are designed around them.
Tender preparation allows relevant fire stopping elements to be identified before pricing is finalised. During construction, trained operatives undertake the specified works, supported by the company’s quality management and digital recording systems.
On completion, Flame Stop provides a suite of documentation for inclusion in the client’s O&M information.
The process gives architects and engineers a clearer link between the fire stopping requirements identified for the project and the work subsequently installed on site.
Good fire stopping design Ireland should take account of the building after practical completion, particularly in service-heavy environments.
Apartment blocks, healthcare facilities and commercial buildings rarely remain unchanged. Fibre networks are added, security systems upgraded, tenants alter spaces and mechanical services are replaced. Risers and service zones that are already congested at handover can become particularly difficult to manage after several years of modifications.
Sensible service separation, accessible compartment lines and clearly recorded fire stopping systems make future maintenance easier to control. Maintenance teams are better able to identify where compartment lines occur and understand what may be affected before new penetrations are introduced.
A detail still needs to satisfy the project requirements at completion, but accessibility and future service intervention are worth considering while there is still flexibility in the design.
Irish construction projects are increasingly service-intensive, while the responsibilities for demonstrating compliance extend across the design and construction process.
The Department of Housing states that primary responsibility for Building Regulations compliance rests with designers, builders and building owners. Technical Guidance Documents provide recognised guidance on how the requirements can be achieved in practice.
Within that framework, specialist passive fire knowledge can help resolve the practical interfaces between the fire strategy and the services passing through fire-resisting construction.
On many projects, the most difficult problems are quite ordinary: an opening that has grown beyond the original detail, services arriving too close together, containment preventing access to a compartment wall or work becoming concealed before it can readily be inspected.
These are construction issues as much as fire stopping issues, and they are generally best addressed while the design and coordination process still allows adjustments to be made.
Flame Stop works with architects, engineers, fire consultants, contractors and clients on passive fire protection Ireland projects, including apartment developments, housing schemes, healthcare facilities, commercial properties and refurbishment works.
Where a project involves complex compartmentation, congested service zones or significant service penetrations, Flame Stop can provide building analysis, survey input, tender preparation and practical fire stopping advice before those details become fixed on site.
The post Passive Fire Protection Ireland: Why Architects and Engineers Should Bring Fire Stopping Expertise Into the Design Stage appeared first on Flame Stop.
As we all try to recover from EV Registrations taking the No. 1 fuel type slot in Ireland from last week, we highlighted that EV charging is an important aspect to track in parallel to this success, as one feeds into the other.
We developed a new external painting scheme for the apartment block at Burrow Holiday Park, Rosslare Strand, giving the existing building a fresher and more contemporary appearance.
A combination of blue, off-white and grey creates contrast between the different elements while giving the building a more cohesive overall appearance.
The colours were tested directly on site, allowing us to see how the different tones worked against the existing finishes and in natural daylight. Several options were considered before arriving at the final scheme.
The result is a significant transformation achieved through a relatively simple intervention. It demonstrates how carefully considered colour can change the character and perception of an existing building without altering its form.
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Construction is expected to begin in January 2027, with the new centre scheduled to re-open in Q1, 2029 — the latest chapter in the story of an institution that has served the Irish community in Britain for over seventy years.
London Irish Centre Chair Rosaleen Blair commented: “Today’s announcement is a huge milestone, which follows almost ten years of careful planning. In Sisk, we have engaged a world-class builder to deliver a world-class home, that matches the aspirations of the Irish diaspora in Britain.
To date, we have secured pledges covering a meaningful proportion of the estimated £36-38 million redevelopment cost, an extraordinary demonstration of confidence by our donors. As we prepare for this exciting transformation, our task going forward is to secure the remainder of this total, which is vital in underwriting our future.”
The announcement was made today, following a visit to the Centre by Neale Richmond, Minister of State at the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The Minister met with representatives from the London Irish Centre and Sisk, receiving a tour of the current building and reviewing the projected site map and redevelopment plans.
Ger Hayes, Managing Director, Sisk Construction UK said: “We are extremely proud to have been selected as main contractor and to be entrusted with the construction of the new London Irish Centre in Camden. The charity has provided a unique welfare hub for Irish diaspora in London for over 70 years. Together, with the team at LIC we will create a modern facility that celebrates this heritage and provides a lasting legacy for future generations.”
Neale Richmond, Irish Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said: “The London Irish Centre remains a dynamic support, welfare and cultural hub for the Irish in Britain. Our continued investment supports the ongoing delivery of these vital services and cultural activities.”
I was delighted to meet the team at the Centre this week and see the ambitious plans they have for the future of the Centre. The Government has allocated 6.75 million euro to the redevelopment of the London Irish Centre, including our most recent grant earlier this year of 3.4 million euro, which was the largest single investment ever made in an Irish diaspora organisation. This support reflects the commitments set out in Global Ireland 2025 and our new Diaspora Strategy to deepen our engagement with Irish communities overseas, particularly the most vulnerable members of our diaspora. The new centre will provide a welcoming and inclusive space for many more generations of Irish diaspora.”
The London Irish Centre opened its doors at Camden Square in 1955, founded to provide employment, accommodation support and social connection for newly arrived Irish immigrants in London. Today it is the oldest and largest Irish centre in Britain, serving as both a welfare anchor and a cultural institution.
In 2025 alone, the Centre welcomed 55,000 visitors for live events and cultural programming, helped more than 3,000 individuals with casework, secured £4.4 million in unclaimed benefits for the community, and served 10,000 meals to vulnerable clients.
Current patrons include singer Ed Sheeran and television personality Dermot O’Leary.
Transformation of the site
Having served its community for over 70 years in Camden Square, the London Irish Centre’s existing building no longer meets modern standards of accessibility, sustainability, or functionality.
Following a strategic review by the Centre’s Board of Trustees, the group has set out an ambitious agenda for the complete redevelopment of its site. Designed for the modern Irish community in Britain and all those drawn to Irish culture, the new building will be a world-class destination for Irish culture, community and enterprise enabling the Charity to have a greater impact, befitting the scale and contribution of the Irish in Britain.
The new building, designed by Coffey Architects, will be laid out over three floors and include:
Dedicated spaces for artists, rehearsals, and creative collaboration
The building will retain its original three-storey facade, with the Murray Street terrace being expanded from two storeys to three. Outline planning permission for the redevelopment was granted in September 2020. Following a pause during the coronavirus pandemic, the project team was reconstituted in 2023 and final planning consent, including the Section 106 agreement, secured in May 2024. The tender process launched in late 2025 and concludes today with Sisk’s appointment.
The redevelopment is recognised within Ireland’s Diaspora Strategy 2026–2030, which sets out the Irish Government’s commitment to supporting Irish communities overseas. The London Irish Centre was the first organisation to receive annual Emigrant Support Programme funding in excess of one million, which is allocated towards its diverse service and programme offering. The Centre consistently ranks as the largest single recipient of the grant programme.
Continuity during construction
During the estimated two-year construction phase, the London Irish Centre will remain fully operational. Welfare and support services will continue from temporary offices local to Camden Square, while the cultural programme will run via partner venues across London, ensuring a full continuity of service for its community.
Séamus MacCormaic commented: “Our work is about the community we serve, and we are committed to delivering a world-class service during this period of transition.”
The redevelopment has been made possible by major support from the Irish Government and a wide range of private donors, with the Centre continuing to welcome further contributions toward the project.
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In 2020 & 2024 I drove around the island - Wexford to Belfast to Letterkenny to Killarney to Wexford (or the other way around), both times with a Model 3 Long Range AWD. This time it would be with a Model 3 Long Range RWD.
The right render choice allows homeowners, self-builders and architects to achieve a stylish, long-lasting façade that makes a statement without compromising on practicality and durability.
The exterior of a building is its first and most lasting impression, and across Irish cities, towns and rural areas, the visual impact of a carefully rendered façade has never been more relevant. The right combination of colour and texture in an external façade can transform a building’s aesthetic and evoke an emotional response from passersby.
This is why homeowners, self-builders and architects are increasingly moving away from uniform white boxes in favour of incorporating colour and texture to enhance the visual impact of the finished building. Through-coloured renders have become a popular choice due to their low maintenance finish that eliminates the need for painting. Additionally, the use of contrasting colours can help to break up street scenes, creating a more vibrant and cohesive development.
Colour, texture and context
Careful consideration of the surrounding environment is essential when specifying a coloured render. Product, colour and texture should complement the local architecture and landscape, creating a cohesive and appealing streetscape. Lighter shades can make a building feel more spacious and airy, while darker tones add depth and drama. The texture of the render also plays a significant role, whether it is the smooth uniformity of a fine finish or the tactile appeal of a more textured surface. Additionally, using multiple colours will build contrast, accentuate architectural features and bring attention to specific details. The outside of a home can be considered in the same way as the inside, ensuring everything builds as a canvas together – including the windows, doors and tiles.
Collaborating closely with the render manufacturer ensures the chosen colour and finish meets the design vision for the project. For example, K Rend’s through-coloured renders are available in 20 standard colours, with the option of over 300 bespoke shades.
Colour at work
Some stunning recent projects illustrate the possibilities. In Northern Ireland, a detached property was transformed using a bespoke colour created by K Rend’s silicone thin-coat render, complementing the surrounding architecture and landscape. In Mullingar, Ireland, K Rend’s Silicone K1 scraped texture range in white, offset with two bespoke thin-coat colours created a striking aesthetic and a development with real kerb appeal. The silicone technology in both products adds water repellency to keep the render looking fresher for longer, coupled with a mineral additive to give that signature K Rend sparkle.
As the demand for more vibrant and personalised new-build homes continues to grow across Ireland, coloured renders will play a key role in shaping the future of our built environment.
To support the render selection process, K Rend provides a free sample request service. The exclusive offering, which includes a colour swatch simulator, ensures clients are provided with a silicone render that meets their precise shade and texture requirements.
To order a free render sample, click here to visit K Rend’s request service. For more information about the wide range of render systems available from K Rend or for technical guidance, visit K Rend.
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The post K Rend – Colour choices bring homes to life first appeared on Irish building magazine.
The transaction extends Exponent’s investment in H&MV and brings in Apollo S3, Pantheon and SQ Capital as investors to support the company’s next phase of international growth.
The new investment structure provides long-term capital backing for H&MV’s continued expansion in the U.S., recruitment across its international operations, investment in new engineering capabilities and strategic acquisition opportunities.
Supported by a €2bn order book, a €16bn pipeline and long-standing customer relationships, the company is targeting revenues of €3bn within five years and a global workforce of 3,000 employees. Since 2020, H&MV has increased revenue from €61m to an expected €1bn in FY26. During the same period, the company expanded its workforce from 300 to over 1,900 employees currently.
Global demand for critical power infrastructure is accelerating as AI, electrification, battery energy storage and the energy transition reshape electricity systems worldwide. H&MV Engineering designs, builds and energises high-voltage infrastructure that enables data centres, battery energy storage and electricity networks, working with leading hyperscale technology companies, co-location providers, utilities and renewable energy developers.
As part of the next phase of its U.S. growth strategy, H&MV will open its North American headquarters in Dallas later this year. Since establishing a presence in the U.S. in late 2025, the company has continued to invest in senior leadership, engineering, project delivery and corporate development capabilities to support its growing operations across the region.
P.J. Flanagan, CEO, H&MV Engineering, said: “This transaction gives H&MV the long-term backing to scale at the pace of the markets we serve and to deliver on our five-year growth ambition. Exponent’s continued support, together with new investment from international investors, will help us accelerate our global expansion, pursue strategic acquisitions, and invest in the capabilities, technologies and people our clients need.”
“Today is a strong endorsement of what we’ve built at H&MV over almost 30 years and I’m incredibly proud of what our team has achieved. As we enter our next phase of growth, we’ll continue investing in the team, our engineering capability and the culture that has enabled us to grow while delivering for clients around the world.”
Tim Easingwood, Partner at Exponent, commented: “H&MV is exactly the kind of ambitious, entrepreneur-led business that Exponent is proud to partner with. This continuation vehicle is a significant milestone for both H&MV and Exponent, and reflects the quality of the business, its exceptional management team and the important role it plays in supporting critical infrastructure globally. We are delighted to welcome Apollo S3, Pantheon Ventures and SQ Capital alongside a high-quality group of institutional investors as we continue our partnership with P.J. and his team. We remain a committed, long-term partner and are excited by the opportunity ahead.”
John Moore, Operating Partner at Exponent and Chair of H&MV Engineering, said: “H&MV has built a unique position at the centre of some of the world’s fastest-growing infrastructure markets, where demand for specialist engineering expertise and reliable power infrastructure continues to increase. The business has built a strong platform from which to serve customers across multiple geographies, while retaining the technical excellence and customer focus that have underpinned its success. Our priority now is to build on those foundations by accelerating H&MV’s U.S. expansion, deepening relationships with global customers and continuing to invest in the people and capabilities required for the next phase of growth.”
The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and formal completion, which is expected in September 2026.
Lazard acted as financial adviser to H&MV and Exponent in connection with the transaction. Arthur Cox and White & Case acted as legal advisers to H&MV.
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The post Apollo S3, Pantheon and SQ Capital to join an Exponent-led continuation vehicle dedicated to H&MV Engineering first appeared on Irish building magazine.
According to the Agency’s 2026 mid-year progress update, over 6,500 homes are currently under construction across more than 20 developments, with additional projects expected to commence in the coming months. The LDA has already completed 3,215 homes since 2022 and expects delivery to accelerate rapidly over the next three years, with more than 1,800 homes due this year, almost 3,000 in 2027 and over 3,500 in 2028.
The figures underline the growing importance of the LDA in Ireland’s residential construction sector, with the Agency forecasting that by 2028 it will rank among the State’s largest homebuilders by annual completions.
The update also highlights the Agency’s expanding land portfolio. The LDA now controls, or has rights to, land capable of delivering approximately 30,000 homes, following the acquisition of three additional sites during the first half of 2026 with capacity for more than 1,900 homes. The Agency said it is increasingly targeting larger strategic landholdings to support the delivery of mixed-tenure communities in partnership with both the public and private sectors.
Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne TD said: “We are seeing an uptick in the delivery of homes and momentum is quite literally building across the sector. This is not just because of policy changes and capital commitments I have driven on with as Minister, but the ambition to get this right and do it as quickly as possible. What has been critical to the momentum we are now seeing is the work of the Land Development Agency. It has ramped up and it has responded to the housing challenge.
“The LDA has established a serious track record in providing quality homes across tenure types, and I expect them to play an even greater role in the years ahead.
“I have fully backed the Agency with a multi-billion-euro funding package and recently expanded its remit to enable it to deliver more homes and unlock additional opportunities. I want them to drive on.
“The LDA have an ambitious programme in the pipeline and it’s what we all want to see – getting on with the job and using the expertise they have now to masterplan for the future of communities across the country. Getting onto sites and getting shovels in the ground so we can get keys into people’s hands.”
John Coleman, Chief Executive of the LDA said: “We are pleased to report positive progress by the LDA in the delivery of new homes and communities. The data shows strong momentum, with our development pipeline set to deliver more than 28,000 homes. We are targeting the completion of at least 13,000 homes between now and 2030, which will be in addition to the more than 3,000 we have already delivered.
The LDA is reaching maturity as one of the most significant housing entities in the State, when measured by the number of homes being delivered and the rapidly increasing financial scale and capacity of the LDA. From an operational perspective, the LDA has provided the State with the capacity to directly deliver homes in an efficient and value for money manner for the first time in many years.
“At the LDA, we have adapted and pivoted to address pressing housing issues as they evolve. For instance, we continue to play a major role in shoring up apartment delivery which would otherwise not be delivered by the market. The LDA will continually need to evolve to address our housing needs. This now includes the need to accelerate the assembly of land for housing, which comprise partnerships with local authorities and with private homebuilders. It will also enable the delivery of private homes alongside State-backed Starter Homes on major sites assembled by the LDA, thereby supporting social integration and sustainable communities.”
Financially, the LDA expects to invest approximately €1.5 billion in housing projects during 2026. Total assets on its balance sheet now exceed €2.9 billion, reflecting the scale of land acquisitions, homes under construction and completed developments.
Cost Rental housing continues to represent a key element of delivery, with 2,367 homes completed under the tenure to date. A recent tenant survey also reported strong satisfaction levels, with 94% of respondents rating their experience as good, very good or excellent, highlighting the growing acceptance of the model as a long-term housing option.
For Ireland’s construction industry, the figures point to a substantial pipeline of residential activity extending well beyond current delivery programmes. As the LDA expands its direct delivery model and increases investment in strategic land assembly, the Agency is expected to remain a major client for contractors, consultants and supply chain partners as it scales up housing delivery nationwide.
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The post LDA Targets Delivery of 13,000 Homes by 2030 as Pipeline Exceeds 28,000 first appeared on Irish building magazine.
Wavin has appointed Maxine to lead its UK and Ireland sales operations, with a clear brief to strengthen support for merchants and installers. Overseeing the full Building & Infrastructure range, she will focus on delivering cohesive customer engagement and a commercial strategy designed to help the trade grow sustainably.
Alongside her UK responsibilities, a key area of focus for Maxine will be the development of the Wavin Ireland business, working closely with the Wavin Ireland Sales team led by Declan Conlon, Sales Director for Wavin Ireland.
Maxine joins from City Plumbing, one of the UK’s largest builders’ merchants, bringing extensive merchant-side expertise. During her time as Managing Director for sales in the business, she played a pivotal role in driving growth and commercial performance.
Commenting on the appointment, Maxine said: “I’m thrilled to be joining Wavin, an organisation whose purpose and values closely align with my own. I’m particularly excited to work with our merchant partners in the UK and Ireland, continuing to build upon the strong relationships the team has built over the years. I look forward to working with the sales team to deepen these collaborations, drive growth, and deliver even greater value with our partners.”
Dan Scott, Vice President for Wavin’s Northern Europe business unit added:“Maxine brings a wealth of experience to the sales team at Wavin. Her previous roles on the merchant side of the construction supply chain give her a distinct edge, and I’m confident this valuable insight and experience will help to drive a meaningful impact across all areas of the business. Her appointment continues to enhance our team of expert leaders, putting us in a strong position to serve our customers, communities, and colleagues across the UK and Ireland.”
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The post Wavin bolsters leadership team first appeared on Irish building magazine.
Originally built in the 18th century as a military storage facility for gunpowder, it later played a role in the events of the Easter Rising in 1916 and was used by the Irish Army before transferring to the OPW in 1988. The first phase of works involved extensive repair and conservation works of the fort’s rampart walls, cavaliers, gunpowder store buildings, the 1921 Bakery building and reinstated the Duke of Dorset Gateway. The project team worked to balance the needs of conservation with the practical requirements of a modern public heritage site.
Speaking at the event Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, Jack Chambers said “I am delighted to mark the reopening of the Magazine Fort following the successful completion of this important phase of conservation works by the OPW. This investment demonstrates the Government’s ongoing commitment to conserving and enhancing our built heritage while making it more accessible to the public.
The Magazine Fort Stabilisation and Conservation Works project was delivered by Kelbuild Ltd for the OPW.
The project has already received major recognition as the recipient of the Irish Construction Excellence Awards 2026 (ICE Awards) in the Heritage/Conservation category and RIAI Awards 2026 (Conservation category).
The nearby commemorative bridge which is under construction by the OPW will link the Fort with the Irish National War Memorial Gardens and create an iconic focal point for locals and tourists alike to take in the views of the River Liffey, the Salmon Weir, the boat clubs, Fort, – providing not only a piece of transport infrastructure, but an architectural and urban amenity space. These two capital development projects will boost tourism in this area while also being a driving force for community gain.”
Speaking at the opening, Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW, Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran, said: “The Magazine Fort is one of OPW’s most iconic historical sites and its careful preservation is an important part of our shared heritage. The ongoing conservation works to this site ensures that this landmark is protected, enhances public understanding of its history and ensures that it remains protected for future generations to appreciate and enjoy. I am delighted to be here today for the reopening of the Magazine Fort.”
The works were completed as part of a phased reopening of the site to the public. Future conservation work include making the Francis Johnston buildings accessible to visitors and enhancing the site’s overall visitor experience.
The project is funded under the National Development Plan, with Government investment to date of €5.7 million (including VAT).
The Magazine Fort is now open for public guided tours through the OPW Phoenix Park Visitor Centre.
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July 2026 marks a significant month in the BEV (Battery Electric Vehicles) adoption in Ireland. One that we should take time to note, and to celebrate. As of the end of July 2026 and for the first time in Ireland, EVs are the No. 1 fuel type for New passenger vehicle Registrations in Ireland with 29,840 units Total New Registrations this year, making up 26.12% of the market and finally surpassing Petrol Electric Hybrid (the non-PHEV type) which stands at 28,089 units and a continuous swing above Petrol & Diesel only fuel types. For the 2026 year to the end of July, EV sales are up 61.06% in 2026, and in total for 2026 we are already 26.44% above 2025 sales figures (23,601 units) with 5 months of sales left for the year.
Now, one thing to note in the past month is the introduction of the ICE2EV scheme. This was hugely successful in its adoption rate, being filled in a little over an hour for 2,000 vehicles. We are somewhat under the assumption at this point that all could have been fulfilled in July, but there is no confirmed details that this is the case just yet. For now we can only make an assumption that they most likely have been fulfilled in the majority. With that for July there were 9,682 vehicles registered which is significantly above the 4,898 units registered for July of 2025 without this scheme and gives a year-on-year growth of 97.67% comparing July of each year. If we remove the probable fulfilment of the ICE2EV scheme of 2,000 vehicles, or in a sense just ignore it, this would still leave July's figures at 7,682 vehicles and would still show a year-on-year growth of 56.84% comparing July of last year.
We are delighted to have the continued support from InstaVolt as an Association and last week we caught up with some of the team to discuss where they are at, and plans for the future. With this, one of the important parts of the conversation was around the end-users, and while we will have more info coming on the future network, it's important to highlight the current status of an aspect that will benefit those who use InstaVolt units straight away!
Delighted to be featured in this week’s Business & Finance CEO Q&A, sharing a little about Rowan, leadership, our culture and our approach to business.Thanks to Business & Finance Media Group for the feature — and to the Rowan team for making sure I don’t take the CEO title too seriously. In the interview, Tom…
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Quality is at the heart of every successful construction project. Whether it’s a residential development, commercial building or large-scale infrastructure project, delivering work to the required standard is essential for protecting budgets, maintaining programme and achieving compliance.
Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC) help make that happen. Together, they provide a structured approach to managing quality throughout the construction process, reducing the risk of defects, improving project outcomes and ensuring buildings perform as intended. The source material describes QA as the preventative processes that establish quality systems and QC as the inspections, testing and verification that confirm work has been completed to the required standard.
Although the terms are often used together, QA and QC have different roles. Quality Assurance focuses on preventing issues before they occur by establishing robust procedures, inspection plans and quality management processes. Quality Control takes place during construction, verifying through inspections and testing that materials and workmanship meet the required standards.
When these two disciplines work together, quality becomes part of the construction process from the outset rather than something that’s checked at the end.
Construction projects are becoming increasingly complex, with tighter programmes, stricter regulations and greater expectations from clients and stakeholders. Without a structured approach to quality, even small issues can escalate into costly defects, delays and compliance challenges.
An effective QA/QC process helps projects to:
By embedding quality throughout the construction process, project teams can improve efficiency, minimise risk and provide greater confidence that work is being delivered to the required standard.
One of the greatest benefits of QA/QC is its ability to minimise risk before problems become expensive to resolve. Early inspections and regular quality checks help identify defects before they’re concealed by subsequent stages of construction, protecting both programme and budget.
Good quality management also improves communication across the project team. With clear reporting, coordinated inspections and consistent documentation, everyone involved has greater visibility of project progress and quality standards, helping to avoid misunderstandings and unnecessary delays.
At ORS, Quality Assurance and Quality Control are embedded throughout the construction process. Our multidisciplinary team supports developers, contractors and asset owners with independent inspections, QA/QC monitoring, BCAR coordination, compliance tracking and documentation management, helping projects meet regulatory requirements while maintaining quality from pre-construction through to completion.
By combining technical expertise with practical construction experience, we help clients identify risks early, improve collaboration across project teams and maintain confidence that projects are being delivered to the highest standards.
Quality Assurance and Quality Control are about more than compliance. They provide the confidence that buildings have been constructed safely, efficiently and in line with their intended design, while reducing defects, protecting investment and supporting successful project delivery.
As expectations across the construction industry continue to evolve, a proactive approach to quality management is becoming increasingly important. By embedding quality into every stage of the construction process, project teams can reduce risk, improve performance and deliver better outcomes for clients and building users alike.
To learn more about how ORS can support your project with QAQC services, contact our Assigned Certifier team at info@ors.ie or call +353 1 524 2040.
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Rowan is an Irish owned consultancy specialising in forensic engineering, sustainability and environmental services. We provide independent technical advice to clients throughout Ireland and have built our business around high-quality work, practical advice and a collaborative culture. We take our work seriously, ourselves a bit less so. The Opportunity Rowan is seeking an experienced Chartered…
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The programme, launched by Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne TD and Minister of State Christopher O’Sullivan TD, is aimed at improving drinking water quality, strengthening infrastructure resilience and supporting the long-term sustainability of community-managed water services serving areas outside the Uisce Éireann network.
Representing the next phase of the Multi-annual Rural Water Programme (MARWP), the initiative comprises eight funding measures designed to address water quality, infrastructure renewal, network expansion, conservation and climate resilience. Applications are now open, with local authorities invited to work alongside Group Water Schemes in developing proposals.
The investment is expected to support a wide range of projects, including treatment plant upgrades, source protection measures, leakage reduction, mains rehabilitation, new and extended water schemes, connections to Uisce Éireann infrastructure and pilot projects showcasing innovative technologies.
A notable feature of the programme is the increase in the maximum grant available per household from €15,000 to €20,000, reflecting increased construction costs and the growing investment required to modernise ageing rural water infrastructure. The programme also introduces a greater emphasis on climate resilience and innovation, encouraging schemes to adopt new approaches to improving water quality and long-term operational performance.
The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has also introduced a new online application system designed to simplify and standardise the funding process. Updated guidance has been prepared to assist local authorities and Group Water Schemes in developing high-quality applications.
Announcing the programme, Minister James Browne said the investment demonstrates the Government’s ongoing commitment to improving water services in rural Ireland.
“The Multi-annual Rural Water Programme is a vital investment in ensuring safe, secure and resilient water services for rural communities and will help Group Water Schemes continue to provide supplies while investing in the renewal and modernisation of their infrastructure for future generations.”
Minister Christopher O’Sullivan said the funding would help address ongoing challenges relating to drinking water quality, water availability and ageing infrastructure.
He said the programme would support public health, community wellbeing and wider rural development while helping rural communities continue to access safe and reliable drinking water.
Developed in consultation with local authorities and the National Federation of Group Water Schemes, the programme places greater emphasis on long-term sustainability, consistent investment decisions and improved value for public funding. With applications now open, the latest investment is expected to play an important role in strengthening rural water infrastructure while supporting resilient communities and sustainable regional development.
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오프라인 카지노와 마찬가지로, 온라인 카지노 역시 특정 규제 기관이나 국가 정부의 인가 xn--88-h74ik7b8xy6hoougg6j.com 및 감독 하에 운영되는 곳이 안전한 카지노로 인정받습니다. 엄선된 카지노 게임과 더욱 풍성해진 프로모션을 개최하여 특별한 경험을 제공합니다. 플레이어는 숫자, 색상 또는 숫자 그룹에 베팅할 수 있으며, 결과는 공이 멈추는 위치에 따라 결정됩니다. 한국 유저들은 토토사이트를 즐길 때 입금과 출금을 신속하고 쉽게 처리하는 곳 을 우선시 선별 기준에서 나뉘어진다 이 뜻은 입 출금이 빠르게 회전 되어야 유저들에게 메이저 바카라사이트로 거듭날 수 있다고 생각 하면 되겠다. 이러한 혜택은 전통적인 오프라인 카지노에서는 찾아볼 수 없으며 이러한 이유들때문에 많은 유저들이 온라인 카지노를 선택하는 주요 이유 중 하나입니다.
피해 발생 시 대응 방법만약 미니카지노 먹튀 피해를 입었다면 즉시 고객센터에 이의를 제기하고, 거래 내역과 대화 내용 등의 증거를 확보해야 한다. 반면 먹튀 사이트는 라이선스 정보가 없거나, 가짜 인증마크를 도용해 이용자를 속이기 때문에 가입 전 반드시 정식 라이선스 여부를 확인해야 한다. 먹튀 사이트와 정식 사이트의 구분법미니카지노 먹튀를 방지하기 위해서는 정식 라이선스를 보유한 사이트를 선택해야 한다. 미니카지노 먹튀는 이러한 과정을 통해 이용자 자금을 갈취하기 때문에, 지나치게 과한 혜택을 제시하는 사이트는 경계해야 한다. 먼저 초기에는 높은 보너스나 당첨률을 제공하며 이용자를 끌어들이고, 일정 금액 이상 충전하면 출금을 지연하거나 조건을 부당하게 변경한다.
오늘날의 세계에서 플레이어는 이동 중에도 자신이 좋아하는 슬롯 게임에 액세스할 수 있기를 원합니다. 우리는 플레이어에게 공정하고 넉넉한 보너스를 제공하는 웹사이트만을 추천합니다. SlotsRank에서는 슬롯 카지노와 관련하여 국제적인 권위자로 자리매김했습니다. 텍스트 위젯을 사용하여 텍스트, 링크, 이미지, HTML 또는 이들의 조합을 표시할 수 있습니다. 과도한 베팅은 재정적 손실로 이어질 수 있으며,의심스러운 사이트나 “무제한 보너스”를 내세운 플랫폼은 피하는 것이 좋습니다. 바카라사이트의 합법성은 운영 국가의 라이선스 보유 여부에 따라 달라집니다.예를 들어 MGA(말타), PAGCOR(필리핀), Curaçao eGaming 등의 국제 인증을 받은 사이트는 법적으로 승인된 범위 내에서 합법적으로 운영됩니다.
온라인 카지노 업계는 매년 수백 개의 새로운 사이트가 등장하며 급격히 성장하고 있지만, 그럼에도 불구하고 실제 오프라인 카지노에서 경험할 수 있는 독특한 매력은 여전히 대체 불가능합니다. 오프라인 카지노와 온라인 카지노는 확연히 다른 특징을 지니고 있습니다. 한국 카지노 산업은 1967년 외국 관광객들을 대상으로 인천에 오림포스 카지노가 개장되면서 시작되었습니다. 라이센스를 보유한 카지노는 플레이어의 자금이 합법적으로 처리되고 있으며, 자금 세탁이나 기타 불법 활동과 관련된 법률이 위반되지 않음을 보장합니다. 위의 세가지 요소를 살펴보면, 실제 오프라인 카지노와 온라인 카지노는 각각 아래와 같은 뚜렷한 장점을 갖고 있습니다. 오프라인 카지노에서 게임을 즐기는 것은 더 짜릿한 게임 경험을 제공할 뿐만 아니라, 같은 열정을 가진 다른 플레이어들과 직접 소통하며 만날 수 있는 특별한 기회이기도 합니다.
올레벳이 제휴하고 있는 슬롯머신 게임 개발사와 게임 종류는 다음과 같습니다. 슬롯머신 게임은 경험 많고 노련한 슬롯머신 게임사의 역량이 십분 발휘되는 게임 카테고리입니다. 올레벳에서 플레이 할 때 슬롯머신은 게이머의 운이 크게 작용하는 게임입니다. 올레벳은 다양한 종류의 바카라 게임, 블랙잭, 룰렛, 슬롯머신과 같은 최고의 라이브 카지노 게임을 제공하며 국내외 스포츠 경기에 베팅할 수 있는 스포츠 베팅 게임도 제공합니다. 마카오 가입은 휴대폰과 본인 명의의 출금용 계좌만 있으면 간단히 진행할 수 있으며, 아래 마카오 가입 주소를 클릭하여 안전한 도메인을 이용하시기 바랍니다.
온라인 카지노는 그 자체로 매력적이고 흥미로운 경험을 제공하지만, 해외 공인 라이선스와 투명한 운영을 갖춘 사이트를 선택하여 책임감 있게 이용하는 것이 무엇보다 중요합니다. 많은 온라인 카지노 사이트는 가입 보너스나 첫 입금 보너스를 제공합니다. 불법 사이트나 의심스러운 조건을 가진 국내 사설 카지노에서 게임을 즐길 경우, 금전적인 손실뿐만 아니라 개인 정보 유출 등의 많은 위험에 노출됩니다. 온라인 카지노를 이용할 때, 즐거운 경험을 쌓는 것만큼 중요한 것은 안전하게 게임을 즐기는 것입니다. Microgaming은 다양한 테마와 우수한 게임성으로 많은 온라인 카지노에서 사랑받고 있으며, 보너스 기능과 스릴 넘치는 게임 플레이로 유명합니다.
“한국 온라인 카지노의 규정 및 법률” 기사가 있습니다. 영국 도박위원회(UK Gambling Commission) 영국 내 온라인 카지노 합법 사이트에 라이선스를 부여하고 있으며, 준수 사항이 까다롭기로 유명합니다. 온라인 카지노 합법 국가는 해당 정부나 규제 기관이 카지노 운영을 공식적으로 허가하고 감독하는 나라를 말합니다.
We’re taking a little time to recharge.
Our office will be closed from 25 July to 9 August for our summer break.
We’ll be back on Monday, 10 August 2026.
Wishing everyone a wonderful summer!
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Approved on the recommendation of Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, Jack Chambers TD, the projects are the first to be designated under the new legislation, which creates a legal obligation for public bodies to prioritise decision-making and approvals for infrastructure deemed critical to the State.
Under the Act, public bodies involved in these projects are required to prioritise licences, consents, planning conditions and other statutory approvals, allocate the necessary administrative and technical resources, and, where possible, run approval processes concurrently rather than sequentially.
While the legislation does not alter planning law or environmental safeguards, it is intended to address one of the construction sector’s long-standing challenges—the time required to progress major infrastructure projects through multiple regulatory and consent processes.
Commenting on the announcement, Minister Chambers said the designation demonstrates the Government’s determination to “break through inertia, slash project timelines and accelerate the delivery of the infrastructure that our people, communities and businesses urgently need.”
He said the projects are of strategic national importance and will strengthen Ireland’s transport, water and energy networks while supporting housing delivery, economic competitiveness and the transition to a low-carbon economy.
Among the flagship schemes, MetroLink will provide a high-capacity rail connection between Swords, Dublin Airport and Dublin city centre, while the Cork Area Commuter Rail Programme will expand rail services across the Cork metropolitan area. The Galway City Ring Road is expected to improve regional connectivity and reduce congestion.
Within the water sector, the Water Supply Project for the Eastern and Midlands Region will enhance long-term water security, while the Greater Dublin Drainage Project and the Bunlicky Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrade will increase wastewater capacity to accommodate future population growth and economic development. The three designated energy projects are intended to strengthen Ireland’s electricity transmission network, improve system resilience and support the country’s transition to a lower-carbon energy system.
For Ireland’s construction industry, the announcement represents more than the designation of nine individual projects. It signals a shift in how strategically important infrastructure will move through the public approvals system. Major capital projects typically require numerous licences, permissions and regulatory consents from multiple agencies before construction can commence. By requiring public bodies to prioritise designated projects and coordinate approvals wherever possible, the Government is seeking to reduce unnecessary delays while maintaining existing statutory and environmental obligations.
The designation of transport, water and energy infrastructure also reflects the reality that these sectors underpin many of Ireland’s wider ambitions, including housing delivery, industrial investment and regional economic development. Greater certainty around approval timelines should, in turn, provide increased confidence for clients, contractors, consultants and the wider supply chain as projects move towards procurement and construction.
Further designation orders are expected to be brought forward throughout the year as the Government continues to implement its Accelerating Infrastructure Action Plan. For the industry, the success of the new legislation will ultimately be measured not by the number of projects designated, but by whether it delivers meaningful reductions in approval timelines and enables critical infrastructure to reach construction more quickly.
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With 22 businesses now in contention across eight award categories, they reflect the strength, resilience and innovation that continue to define the sector. Following a highly competitive entry process, finalists are now in the running for four Regional Awards, the Digital Excellence Award, the Sustainable Business Excellence Award and the overall Octabuild Builders Merchant Excellence Award.
In addition, 9 employees have been nominated for the Rising Star Award, recognising emerging talent within the industry, while 23 individuals have been put forward for the inaugural Unsung Hero Award, celebrating those whose dedication and contribution behind the scenes play a vital role in the success of their businesses. Now approaching four decades of recognising excellence in the builders’ merchant trade, the Octabuild Awards continue to provide a platform for celebrating the individuals and businesses raising standards across the industry.
The finalists represent merchants of all sizes and from every region of the island, demonstrating excellence across customer service, people development, operational performance, sustainability and digital innovation. Following visits to shortlisted merchants throughout recent weeks, judges Phil Derby and Steve Collinge praised both the quality and depth of this year’s entries.
Speaking on behalf of the judging panel, Phil Derby said: ‘The standard of entries this year has been exceptionally high, and it was clear at every stop that merchants are genuinely investing in their businesses – in stores, yards and merchandising, but just as much in people, training, digital capability, sustainability and customer experience.”
‘It has been a real privilege to meet with so many impressive people across the builders’ merchants sector and to witness firsthand how they are moving the needle in their businesses. What impressed the panel most was the consistency: across every category, we saw businesses actively strengthening every customer touchpoint, whether that’s in person, on the phone, online or through newer digital channels. The calibre of this year’s finalists reflects a sector that isn’t standing still – it’s evolving, competing hard, and raising its own bar.
‘Reaching this stage is the result of a rigorous judging process, and every shortlisted business should take real pride in what they’ve achieved.’ Speaking on behalf of the eight Octabuild members – Bostik, Etex Ireland, Glennon Brothers, Grant Engineering, Gyproc, Irish Cement, Keystone and Kingspan Insulation – Octabuild Chairperson Mike Glennon said: ‘The response to the 2026 Awards has been phenomenal, with a record number of submissions received – the highest in the history of the Octabuild Builders Merchant Excellence Awards. That level of participation speaks volumes about the pride, ambition and commitment that exist across our industry. ‘It has also been hugely encouraging to see the strong level of engagement with our new award categories, particularly the Unsung Hero Award, which has shone a light on the remarkable people working behind the scenes in builders’ merchants across the island. ‘These Awards are about celebrating excellence and recognising the people and businesses that continue to strengthen our industry.
The winners will be announced at the 2026 Octabuild Builders Merchant Excellence Awards Gala Dinner on Thursday, 1st October in The Round Room at the Mansion House, Dublin.
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The post 22 Builders’ Merchants in the Running for Eight Awards, 9 Rising Stars and 23 Unsung Heroes Nominated first appeared on Irish building magazine.
O universo do entretenimento digital regulado em Portugal revela um progresso significativo nos tempos recentes. Graças à abertura do segmento à iniciativa privada autorizada, novos operadores surgem periodicamente, colocando à disposição de ao público residentes em Portugal uma grande diversidade de propostas.
No presente artigo informativo passaremos em revista os aspetos essenciais em torno de as novas plataformas autorizadas a desenvolver operações no nosso país. Iremos refletir sobre questões como: as marcas mais relevantes, a legislação aplicável, os bónus disponíveis, a variedade de títulos, as opções de movimentação e os recursos de proteção do jogador.
Neste momento, o segmento luso reúne numerosas plataformas devidamente licenciadas pelos órgãos reguladores. Dos operadores mais reconhecidos merecem referência gigantes do setor tais como: Placard, Betclic, Bet365, LeoVegas, Casino Portugal.
Os operadores mais novos empenham-se em marcar a diferença recorrendo a extras de valor acrescentado, plataformas modernas bem como apoio individualizado. É essencial analisar a reputação de cada operador antes de abrir uma conta.
Merece a pena sublinhar o facto de que um número considerável das marcas emergentes chegam ao mercado mediante alianças estratégicas com operadores consolidados, o que traz uma camada de confiabilidade ao público.
No território português, o órgão a quem compete pela fiscalização dos jogos digitais é o regulador português do setor, o SRIJ, que opera sob a tutela do Turismo de Portugal. A totalidade dos operadores encontram-se obrigadas a dispor de uma licença válida a fim de operar legalmente no mercado interno.
As autorizações garantem o facto de que a empresa observa os critérios estabelecidos por lei de integridade operacional. Antes de se registar, certifique-se de que o portal indica o selo do SRIJ.
A regulamentação portuguesa estabelece obrigações apertadas quanto a privacidade dos utilizadores, políticas contra o branqueamento a par de controlos periódicos das plataformas. Estas medidas protegem o jogador assim como asseguram a credibilidade do setor.
Um dos principais atrativos das plataformas que surgem agora reside em os prémios de entrada. Estes prémios podem assumir variadas estruturas:
Antes de aceitar uma promoção, analise com atenção os critérios de utilização, tendo em conta de modo particular às condições de wagering assim como aos prazos.
A juntar aos bónus de entrada, os agentes mais ativos mantêm campanhas frequentes a pensar nos jogadores assíduos: reembolsos periódicos, competições premiadas bem como promoções pontuais sintonizadas com o calendário desportivo.
O catálogo lúdico é um fator decisivo na escolha de uma marca. Os géneros disponíveis listam:
O acabamento estético dos lançamentos atuais atingiu uma fasquia impressionante, com animações fluidas. Vários casinos investem em jogos exclusivos criados de forma dedicada para o mercado nacional, refletindo a cultura portuguesa.
Mais uma característica importante é o desempenho em telemóveis. A esmagadora maioria das marcas recentes proporcionam versões móveis otimizadas para iOS e Android, facultando o entretenimento sem amarras de localização.
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As formas de depósito e levantamento variam de acordo com cada casa, contudo os mais difundidos em solo luso reúnem:
É importante conferir a duração das operações, os encargos aplicáveis a par de os tetos aplicáveis. As novas marcas normalmente apresentam processamentos mais imediatos, algo que se transformou em uma vantagem competitiva.
A salvaguarda das movimentações financeiras é garantida recorrendo a soluções de encriptação SSL, a mesma blindagem técnica empregue pela banca. Nenhuma informação confidencial é transmitido sem cifragem, o que confere sossego a quem aposta.
A jogabilidade consciente representa um valor central no setor dos jogos a dinheiro. Todas as marcas licenciadas em Portugal ficam sujeitas a fornecer recursos de prevenção a quem se inscreve:
Não esqueça que apostar deve constituir uma fonte de lazer e em caso algum uma forma de obter dinheiro. Se reconhecer em si indícios de descontrolo, peça assistência sem demora.
Calcular os limites pessoais antecipadamente continua a ser uma das regras de ouro. A par disso, é central é fixar limites de tempo, gerindo bem o tempo de utilização. A atividade jamais deve comprometer responsabilidades familiares.
A indústria portuguesa de entretenimento digital está em plena expansão, disponibilizando aos jogadores um conjunto diversificado a cada ano. O processo de escolha de uma marca apropriada exige reflexão a vários fatores: autorização legal, catálogo lúdico, bónus, métodos de pagamento, qualidade do apoio ao cliente bem como políticas de jogo seguro.
Ao optar por uma casa devidamente autorizada, o consumidor luso retira vantagens da blindagem da lei, transparência e proteção financeira. Permaneça informado quanto às novidades da indústria assim como jogue com consciência.
Para concluir o panorama dos casinos online em Portugal proporciona presentemente escolhas como nunca antes a quem deseja lazer responsável de elevado padrão. Empenhar atenção na investigação das alternativas existentes encerra a atitude mais prudente para alcançar os melhores resultados da diversão digital.
Pendulum testing plays an important role in improving surface safety and reducing slip and skid risks. At Rowan, we provide professional pendulum testing to help businesses assess slip resistance and create safer environments for staff, visitors, and the public. This recognised method measures the slip and skid potential of floors and surfaces, helping organisations identify…
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