Safe Pass Renewal System will move online in 2023 for Louth workers
Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris, today launched the online Safe Pass renewal system. This is a new and alternative option to renew Safe Pass and will be available from 23 January 2023.
The Safe Pass renewal process will go live in the New Year and is part of efforts to reduce barriers in construction careers, an objective of Housing for All. Speaking at St Andrew’s Resource Centre, Minister Harris said:
“Having this new streamlined option for Safe Pass renewal is a simple but highly effective way of removing some of the barriers facing construction workers. Over 30,000 people will avail of this option within the first 12 months of the programme going live. And that’s just the start, as we see increasing numbers of Safe Pass applications all the time.
“I would like to acknowledge with thanks the work undertaken by SOLAS, CIF trade unions, and members of the Construction Industry Advisory Group who oversaw and guided the establishment of this initiative. This is part of a number of reforms we intend to take over the next few months as we continue to promote careers in our construction sector.”
The new renewal system will be cost-efficient and time-efficient, with the renewal process taking just 45 minutes to complete. It is a streamlined service that is cost-effective for all workers in construction. Workers needing to renew their Safe Pass card can now attend a computer-based test in an approved Pearson VUE exam centre.
The Minister also launched an initiative between the Department, SOLAS, and the Construction Industry Federation, to offer Safe Pass training to 700 Transition Year and Leaving Certificate Applied Students in 2023.
The Department will shortly publish the 'Report on the Analysis of Skills for Residential Construction and Retrofitting, 2023 to 2030'. The report analyses the skill provision requirements of the construction industry and will help the department plan for those needs.
It is a key element in the Department’s response to construction skills needs and meeting workforce requirements as outlined by Housing for All, the National Development Plan, 2021 to 2030, the National Retrofit Plan and the upcoming Climate Action Plan 2023.
Andrew Brownlee, CEO of SOLAS said: “Today’s announcement is an important step to streamline the renewal process for Safe Pass card holders, thereby reducing barriers in construction, a key objective of Housing for All.
"It is another important development in the reform and modernisation of our construction schemes, designed to ensure that the essential skills are onsite for safe and effective work. The new Safe Pass renewal system will greatly benefit the construction sector, enabling the provision of a time and cost-effective process to renew Safe Pass.
"This new system will result in savings of 50%, with renewal time now taking just 45 minutes instead of requiring a full day in the classroom, at a lower cost of €93.84. I would personally like to acknowledge the hard work undertaken by construction stakeholders including CIF, ICTU, the SOLAS Team and project partners Pearson VUE in streamlining Safe Pass renewal, which will have a positive impact, both for the individual and the sector as a whole.”