The 2026 National Construction Summit is being held on Wednesday and Thursday April 15-16 at the Sport Ireland Campus, Blanchardstown in Dublin.
Incorporating a comprehensive conference programme, including a wide array of seminars and free workshops, the National Construction Summit will also feature an extensive exhibition area, showcasing the latest products, services and technology for the construction, engineering, sustainable building, maintenance and architectural sectors.
Sustainable construction practices
Key conference themes at the 2026 National Construction Summit include critical issues such as planning regulations, sustainable construction practices, improved housing delivery, infrastructure development, and creating a decarbonised built environment.
The National Construction Summit serves as a networking hub for Ireland’s construction professionals, bringing together key stakeholders from across the sector, including developers and property managers; architects and designers; civil engineers; contractors and builders; sustainability experts; policy advisers and government representatives.
With a programme designed to address the challenges and opportunities facing the industry today, the summit offers insights that will help businesses and individuals drive innovation and stay ahead in an increasingly competitive construction market.
Record level of funding for infrastructure projects
The event is timely, following the recent publication of the government’s Accelerate Infrastructure Action Plan and the National Housing Plan. This includes a record level of funding for infrastructure projects, and is the largest capital investment plan in the history of the State with spending commitments of €275.4bn for the next decade.
The government’s housing measures include Budget 2026 allocations of €5.2bn, along with acquisitions by the Land Development Agency (LDA). While the National Housing Plan aims to transform housing supply in Ireland in order to reach the target of 300,000 more homes up to 2030, the availability of sufficient zoned and serviced land with planning permission is critical to attain this objective.
Challenges and opportunities
AECOM’s Ireland Annual Review 2026, which covers both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, forecasts construction industry output growth of 4% for this year with 3% inflation.
In outlining the challenges and opportunities facing the Irish construction and infrastructure sector, AECOM highlights readiness as the essential enabler of Ireland’s ambition to deliver major housing and infrastructure programmes at pace and scale, alongside actions being taken by the government to remove delivery barriers.
The construction sector is a vital component of the Irish economy providing the necessary infrastructure required to sustain Ireland’s economic growth and competitiveness, and to attract foreign direct investment (FDI). However, the Irish construction industry faces significant challenges, such as rising materials costs, skills shortages and difficulties in planning and public sector procurement.
Innovation
In order to design and construct the sustainable buildings and infrastructure required by a growing population and to help businesses adapt to the challenges of the unfolding fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0), the construction industry throughout Ireland needs to rapidly adopt innovative technologies and techniques. However, there is concern that the industry is not evolving fast enough to meet these changing needs.
Co-located events
The 2026 National Construction Summit in conjunction with a number of co-located specialist events will attempt to present solutions to these challenges. Visitors are free to move between the different co-located events, which include:
- Project Controls;
- Architecture, Design and Planning;
- BIM & Digital Construction;
- Data Centres and Critical Infrastructure;
- Fit-out & Interiors;
- Health & Safety;
- Modern Methods of Construction;
- Passive & NZEB Construction;
- Smart & Green Building;
- Facility Management & Maintenance.
Confirmed speakers at the 2026 National Construction Summit include: James Browne housing minister; Dr Sean Sweeney, programme director of MetroLink; Shauna Callaghan, development manager at the Land Development Agency; and Conor Hayes, head of sustainability at the Irish Concrete Federation.
Registration for free attendance to the 2026 National Construction Summit is now open at https://www.nationalconstructionsummit.ie/register/ or click here.
