The Irish Times

Despite signs that the residential market may be softening, the Society of Chartered Surveyors, at its recent annual dinner, still predicted a busy future for the construction industry. The construction sector remains strong and growth in the non-residential area should help to offset any slide in the number of housing units being built, said Conor Hogan, president of the Society of Chartered Surveyors, at the society's annual dinner recently. Hogan also argued that Dublin city should go for high density and high-rise, in keeping with the new draft local area plans for Ballsbridge. This approach should become a "blueprint" for all areas of the city, he said. In a wide ranging address, Hogan told the 1,500 delegates present that independent surveys demonstrated the strength of the construction sector. He cited the findings from the SCS/IPD Irish Property Index and the Bank of Scotland/Dublin Institute of Technology property poll. While there was softening of the housing market, the non-residential construction sector, which accounts for more than 33 per cent of building output, remained buoyant. "These surveys are proof positive of the healthy state of the property market and, by extension, the construction industry," said Hogan. He criticised the "gloomy" forecasts of some commentators.