Minister announces Mount Lucas as site for modern construction demonstration park

The National Construction Training Centre at Mount Lucas has been announced as the site for the National Modern Methods of Construction Demonstration Park.

Minister Simon Harris made the announcement last Monday morning July 18 on the same day as he launched the QQI Level 5 National Scaffolding Apprenticeship.

In addition Minister Harris said he was happy to share the news the Centre will be expanding.

'' I’ve approved our first project under the Strategic Investment Upgrade Fund for the 'Nearly Zero Energy Building' (NZEB) Centre,'' he said.

''The Government’s Housing for All (HfA) Strategy provides a commitment to promoting a culture of compliant, good quality sustainable innovation in residential construction through development of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC).HfA sets out a number of measures which will support and promote the development of MMC in Ireland, including the establishment of a National Demonstration Park for MMC. The MMC Demonstration Park will be an accessible and interactive built resource for applied research, training, and demonstration.

Minister Harris stated, ''We need up to 51,000 more workers to deliver on the Government Climate Action Plan and Housing for All. That’s why centres like this are critical for all of us.''

A Project Management Group has been established and will provide inter-departmental oversight of the development of the National Demonstration Park.

Phase One of the Demonstration Park will consist of a street of 10 building ‘pads’ with additional space available for future development. An Open Competition will be held inviting construction companies to build on the pads exhibiting the latest construction technologies and innovative methods in residential construction,'' said the Minister.

“So this is a good day. But it’s also a really important day not just for Mount Lucas and Laois Offaly Education and Training Board, but for your country. Put in the simplest terms, our country needs you, the work you do and the skills you develop, in order to overcome our biggest challenges.''

Minister Pippa Hackett said “The investment in and expansion of the National Construction Training Centre at Mount Lucas places this Offaly campus at the centre of a new direction for the Midlands. The Midlands was the proud hub of power generation in the country for decades and now, with thanks to the work of the Department of Skills and Laois Offaly Education and Training Board we will be at the centre of building the new Ireland.’’ The Minister said she was looking forward to visiting the demonstration park in the future.

Tom Parlon, Director General, Construction Industry Federation welcomed the development of the Housing for All Demonstration Park. ''This denotes a significant investment

by the Department through SOLAS and should help to drive further awareness, technical capability, and increase the capacity in our sector towards the use of MMC. Housing for All demands a new approach to housing delivery and these facilities will be instrumental in driving the utilisation of modern technologies to achieve our housing goals. We wish to acknowledge the rapid steps being taken to deliver this centre, while also flagging the need for a national Modern Methods of Construction Centre, that truly supports the wider construction sector.''

Andrew Brownlee, Chief Executive Officer of SOLAS the further education and skills service added. All of the exciting innovation happening here at Mount Lucas will work towards achieving our shared goal of supporting the entrance of skilled learners to the workforce, and in doing so, support industry partners in reinvigorating and modernising the construction trade we have here in Ireland.''