Building a future

It was once the star performer of the Celtic Tiger. Now those still working in the building sector are being asked to take a 20% wage cut. Stephen Rogers wonders if it will help the industry

THE Construction Industry Federation has predicted employment in the sector will be 75,000 by the end of the year, just a quarter of the 280,000 employed at the property peak in 2007.

To many, that sharp decline is hardly surprising. In 2003, it was reported there were 11 cranes prominent in the skyline over Cork city working on a myriad of new developments.