Ireland to experience shortage of over 2,000 surveyors

Houses aren't the only commodity in short supply in the construction sector with Ireland set to experience a shortage of more than 2,000 property surveyors over the next four years.

Despite an increasing number of students enrolling in property and construction courses in recent years, graduate output will be insufficient to meet future demand, a report commissioned by the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI) suggests.

Some 3,739 additional surveying positions will be created between now and 2021 the report – Employment Opportunities and Future Skills Requirements for Surveying Professions - predicts.

It says that the number of students graduating over the same period will total 1,577, leaving a shortfall of 2,162.

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SCSI's figures are predicated on economic growth of 3 per cent per year; however, the European Commission expects Ireland's economy to grow by 5.7 per cent this year while the Economic and Social Research Institute believes the State's GDP will grow 4.7 per cent this year.

The society suggests that if the economy does grow by 4 per cent per year the shortfall will double to 4,000 up to 2021.

Dr Róisín Murphy of DIT, the report’s author, says the supply issue is the primary constraint to employment growth in the sector.

“The shortage of suitably qualified surveyors is likely to continue to put upward pressure on wage levels and ultimately on building costs,” she said.

“The situation is particularly acute in the property surveying sector which includes estate agency, valuations, asset management and property management.”