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Autumn 2025 Ireland Construction Market View Report
- Analysis shows substantial opportunity in housing, rail, and infrastructure investment after release of National Development Plan
- Ireland maintains healthy labour and contractor market, inflation projections remain steady in the near term
Arcadis, the leading global design and consultancy organization for natural and built assets, today released its Autumn 2025 Ireland Construction Market View Report. This comprehensive analysis provides key insights into the current economic conditions, sector performance, and future projections for the Irish construction market, and outlines growth opportunities spurred by the recently announced National Development Plan.

Ireland’s construction sector experienced rapid growth in the first quarter of 2025, however housing production remains low. The state is adopting a very ambitions investment programme and the questions remains: Can Ireland’s constructors step up to the challenge of an accelerating building boom?

Key Insights from the 2025 Ireland Construction Market Overview Report:

Housing Sector: Despite a 7% decrease in housing completions in 2024, with a total of 30,230 units, and a dismal set of housing construction starts in 2025, the sector has huge potential, supported by significant government interventions. The National Development Plan (NDP) outlines a robust €20.6 billion five-year capital investment aimed at increasing housing completions to meet growing demand and analysis indicates that the implementation of these measures, coupled with updated planning frameworks, could potentially trigger a housing boom, which will be necessary to increase production by 65% to achieve the target of 50,000 homes per year by 2030.

Rail and Infrastructure Expenditure: Transport has received a significantly larger allocation in the latest NDP, up by 70% in current prices. Rail investment in particular is a major priority, and the new allocation will bring forward the Navan rail line confirms both the Dublin Metrolink programme and the wider implementation of the All-Island Strategic Rail Review. These NDP announcements increase confidence in the long-term investability of the Ireland rail programme.

Labour and Contractor Market: The construction workforce grew by 3.5% in the year to Q1 2025 and now totals 182,000, the highest level of employment since 2012, and 26% above the long-term average. In a positive sign, the sectoral employment order covering 50,000 of Ireland’s 180,000 construction operatives has agreed a two-year deal from August 2025, averaging 3.3% pa, reducing the potential for above inflation wage inflation in affected parts of the industry. With government investment programmes due to expand from 2026 onwards, we anticipate that earnings growth will feed into higher levels of inflation from 2026 onwards. Contractor availability remains good.

Inflation Forecast: Analysis holds steady the inflation forecasts for both 2025 (4-5%) and 2026 (4-6%), and the slowdown in housing delivery will create headroom for other construction activity. Mixed market feedback on prospects for civil engineering leads us to wait for the publication of additional data before changing our projection. Arcadis predicts higher inflation in 2027 (5-6%) as delivery of the NDP accelerates, underscoring inflationary risks associated with a major increase in public expenditure.

Simon Rawlinson, Arcadis Head of Strategic Research and Insight, commented on the findings, stating: “The ambitious targets and investment in the National Development Plan underscore the critical need to address housing shortages and modernize Ireland’s rail systems, which are essential for sustainable urban development and economic resilience. Our analysis shows that the construction market has all the conditions to meet this moment, and needs to accelerate construction fast to make this growth vision a reality.”
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September 1, 2025
Time, stress and cost deemed factors in preventing women from safeguarding heart health – The Irish Times

A lack of motivation, stress and a concern that health checks are too expensive are preventing women from protecting their heart health, new data shows.

Additionally, the Irish Heart Foundation research found that creating barriers to living a healthy lifestyle includes the high cost of healthy foods and gym memberships.

The data reveal that just over half of women, or 51 per cent, say they know the symptoms of heart disease and stroke, while 67 per cent of women believe they know the symptoms of breast cancer.

Irish Heart Foundation director of health promotion Janis Morrissey explained that what they are asking women to do is “take stock of where they are at and understand what factors impact their heart health, even one small change, can make a huge difference”.

Ms Morrissey continued: “It seems for many, life and lack of time is getting in the way, but it’s not about a drastic overhaul of lifestyle, just to ask themselves questions such as, ‘am I stressed? Am I active? How is my diet? Do I smoke? When did I last have my blood pressure checked?’”

The study shows only 13 per cent of women correctly think they are more likely to be diagnosed with heart disease and stroke than breast cancer, at 66 per cent, despite heart disease and stroke killing six times as many women as breast cancer.

The foundation highlighted that it is also concerned about the reasons women gave for not prioritising their heart health, with 25 per cent of women quoting worries about the cost of health checks as a key reason.

Nearly one in four said they did not feel motivated to look after their heart health, 21 per cent said gym memberships were too expensive, and 18 per cent identified the high cost of healthy foods. When combined, stress/anxiety and lack of time were factors for 26 per cent of women.

“Time, or lack of it, has consistently come up as a barrier, as have stress and cost of living concerns,” said Ms Morrissey.

“This appears to be fuelling a general lack of motivation. It could be a case that women feel they are juggling too much in their daily lives. Also, there remains a sizeable gap between the perceived dangers of breast cancer versus heart disease, which unfortunately is still seen as a male disease, despite all the evidence.”

She reiterated that what the foundation would ask women to do as a first step is “simply start the conversation with friends, loved ones, partners, to try to make small lifestyle changes and increase their knowledge of symptoms, which can save their lives”.

The heart organisation has started the Her Heart Matters campaign to provide practical information and supportive tools to help women look after their heart health.

Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said she believes women continue to experience “poorer cardiovascular health outcomes than men” and is committed to changing that by helping to improve awareness of the symptoms of heart disease and stroke.

Slightly more than 1,000 women aged 16 and over nationwide participated in the survey, which was conducted between July 29th and August 5th.

The Ipsos B&A research was supported by the Department of Health Women’s Health Fund and the Health Service Executive.

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September 1, 2025
Seraya closes $1.8 million seed in equity-debt mix
- UAE-based proptech startup Seraya has raised $1.8 million in seed funding (equity + debt), led by a KSA family office and German family office DLL, bringing total funding to $2.15 million.
- Founded in 2024 by Pepijn Haima and Ibrahim Shami, Seraya offers design-led, fully serviced apartments for short-term stays.
- New funding will expand Seraya’s portfolio to 50 units by the end of 2025, targeting premium wellness travel.
Press release:

Seraya, the Dubai-based hospitality startup creating a new standard in premium serviced accommodation, has raised $1.8 million in seed funding, bringing its total capital raised to $2.15 million. The round was led by a prominent KSA-based family office and DLL, a German family office, with participation from strategic angel investors. The funding includes a mix of equity and debt and will support Seraya’s next phase of growth as it expands across Dubai’s booming short-term rental market.

Founded in October 2024, Seraya has been profitable from day one and operates with an average occupancy of over 92% and a perfect 5.0 guest rating. The company currently operates a growing portfolio of premium apartments in the most sought-after addresses in Dubai, including Downtown Dubai, Business Bay, and Marina, offering the consistency of a hotel with the warmth of a home.

Unlike traditional operators, Seraya secures long-term leases (5+ years) from owners, fully renovates and furnishes the space, and manages the entire guest experience. This vertically integrated model gives Seraya complete control over design, operations, and quality, enabling the brand to deliver a consistently high-end product across its portfolio.

Seraya is currently in hyper-scaling mode, adding one new apartment to its portfolio every week. The new funding will support the company’s growth to 50 units by the end of 2025, with upcoming launches in Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Creek, select villa communities and more.

“We’re building something intentional,” said Pepijn Haima, Co-Founder of Seraya. “Seraya is designed for the modern traveller, people seeking calm, comfort, and care while on the move. Our model gives us total control, from the materials we use to the experience we deliver. That’s how we’ve scaled profitably, and how we’ll build a global brand for premium serviced accommodation.”

“Seraya has built a distinctive, high-margin model in one of the most competitive hospitality markets in the world,” said Jakob Langen, Managing Director at DLL. “Their ability to control the full value chain, from sourcing and design to operations, gives them a powerful advantage as they scale. We believe this approach positions Seraya to lead a new generation of hospitality brands.”

The company delivers guest-ready apartments in just 10 days from key handover, handling renovations, furnishing, and operations entirely in-house. Seraya also designs and manufactures its own bespoke furniture locally, further ensuring a unified aesthetic and the ability to scale with speed and consistency.

Wellness is deeply embedded in Seraya’s brand DNA; from in-apartment saunas to water filtration systems, every detail is chosen to support restorative travel. This approach aligns with the company’s commitment to rejuvenative stays, a fast-growing segment within the $9 trillion global wellness industry.

“Guests should leave feeling better than when they came,” added Haima. “That’s the standard we build to.”

The MENA region’s short-term rental market is expanding rapidly, with Dubai alone growing from 20,000 units in 2024 to over 30,000 in 2025. As tourism, digital nomadism, and wellness-led travel reshape the industry, Seraya is positioning itself to lead the premium segment, offering a differentiated alternative to generic listings and legacy hotel chains.

“Dubai has been the perfect proving ground,” said Ibrahim Shami, Co-Founder at Seraya. “It’s one of the most competitive hospitality markets in the world, and we’ve shown we can build a brand that stands out. With the systems, design, and operating model we’ve developed, we see strong potential for regional expansion in the near future.”

With growing demand and a deeply integrated model, Seraya is building for a future where short-term stays are as thoughtfully crafted as the lives they fit into.
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September 1, 2025
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max Price, Launch Date, Camera, Battery, Features — Everything We Know So Far

Powering the iPhone 17 Pro Max will be the A19 Pro chip, which is projected to boost the device’s performance and efficiency significantly.

The Pro Max is anticipated to feature a larger, rectangular camera setup that includes a 48MP telephoto lens, along with a 24MP front-facing camera. The device is also expected to allow for simultaneous video recording using both front and rear cameras, as well as support for 8K video.

Due to the expanded camera module, the rear Apple logo might be repositioned lower on the Pro Max and there may be a slight increase in thickness as well, reaching 8.725mm.

A larger battery, exceeding 5,000mAh, is also anticipated to be packed in the iPhone 17 Pro Max. The Pro Max is likely to have an aluminium frame, combining glass and aluminium for the rear panel. Other enhancements include an upgrade to 12GB of RAM from the previous 8GB in the iPhone 16 Pro models and the addition of a vapour chamber for improved cooling.

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September 1, 2025
Swab test can identify children with potentially deadly heart condition, study finds | Children’s health

A simple cheek-swab test can identify children with a potentially deadly heart condition, five years before they would normally be diagnosed, research has found.

Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM), which is typically genetic, is responsible for more than 10% of sudden cardiac deaths in children.

The condition is caused by abnormalities in the proteins between heart cells, which lead to problems in the structure and electrical activity of the heart. ACM can often develop and strike without warning.

But research shows abnormalities in the proteins can also be seen in the lining of the cheeks, which can reveal what is happening in the heart. Now doctors have developed a two-minute cheek swab to detect ACM up to half a decade before a child may otherwise be diagnosed.

They revealed details of the test at the European Society of Cardiology congress in Madrid, the world’s largest heart conference.

Experts at Great Ormond Street hospital and City St George’s, University of London trialled the test in 51 children between three months and 18 years old with a known genetic risk of ACM.

They were given cheek swabs every three to six months over a seven-year period. Of the group, 10 went on to develop ACM and eight of the 10 showed abnormalities that were picked up by cheek swabs before other tests.

The experts also studied another group of 21 children with no known genetic risk of ACM. Of these, five had abnormalities picked up by cheek swabs.

The research presented in Madrid also found that the swabs revealed changes in the youngsters up to five years before they were diagnosed.

Diagnosis of ACM was confirmed with scans and tests, with researchers suggesting a swab could be an extra step to aid early detection.

Joanna Jager, of City St George’s, University of London, said: “There is a real need for a quick and easy test, to flag suspected ACM, which can then be confirmed by hospital tests.”

In the UK, it is estimated that about one in 10,000 people in the UK have ACM. Symptoms can include heart palpitations, fainting, breathlessness, abnormal heart rhythms and swelling in the stomach, legs or ankles.

Researchers are now developing swab kits that can be used at home and the samples sent away for analysis.

Dr Angeliki Asimaki, a reader in cardiac morphology and sudden death at the school of health and medical sciences at City St George’s, University of London, said: “Our test provides a window into microscopic changes happening in the heart, and it is totally risk-free and non-invasive.

“This has the potential to provide accurate and timely diagnosis of ACM, which could ultimately save lives. Patients, particularly children, have told us they hugely prefer the speed and ease of a cheek swab to alternatives such as blood tests.

“We are currently developing test kits which would allow children to do cheek swabs at home and post them off to researchers for analysis.”

Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, the clinical director of the British Heart Foundation, which funded the research, said: “Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy has the potential to develop and strike without warning and sadly can risk sudden death in children, so it’s important that research helps us discover how to diagnose it early.

“This kind of simple, pain-free cheek swab test could identify children in the early stages of ACM who need extra care, or provide reassurance to at-risk children and their families with normal test results.”

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September 1, 2025
China’s GCL expects more information soon on polysilicon restructuring

By Colleen Howe

BEIJING (Reuters) -A GCL Technology Holdings official signalled in a call with investors on Sunday that more information on a plan to restructure China’s polysilicon industry would be released soon.

“We believe that clearer information should come out soon about the reform, and we will have a better grasp of how our future cash flow will go,” GCL’s Chief Financial Officer Yang Wenzhong said in response to a question about a proposed acquisition fund. He added it was “not 100 percent certain” that reform would happen this year.

Yang said GCL may use some of its own cash to support the reform but did not yet know how much, so was being very careful in managing its funds.

A previous proposal by GCL to restructure the industry, of which management did not provide further details in the meeting, would see GCL and other top producers buy up and shut down about one-third of the industry’s capacity. Expectations are that would increase prices and the higher prices would be passed on to the loss-making solar panel industry downstream.

Analysts have said it is unclear where the money would come from in the highly indebted industry, although banks were likely to be one source of financing for the restructuring.

Yang also told investors GCL Technology would likely make a profit in August and September. Polysilicon spot prices have risen as Chinese regulators have signalled they would crack down on companies selling at overly low prices.

GCL’s losses for the first half of 2025, before the anti-price war movement, widened to 1.78 billion yuan ($249.6 million), the company reported on Friday.

(Reporting by Colleen Howe; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)

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September 1, 2025
All Blacks Injury Update » allblacks.com
The All Blacks have assembled in Auckland ahead of the third Test of the Lipovitan-D Rugby Championship, against South Africa at Eden Park this Saturday night.
Timoci Tavatavanawai will miss the remainder of the Rugby Championship, after fracturing his radius during his appearance for Tasman in the National Provincial Championship (NPC) yesterday.

The following players will not be assembling in Auckland due to injury (please note that the estimated return to play is as of today’s date and subject to change):
- Timoci Tavatavanawai – Will require surgery for fractured radius. Estimated return to play: 12 weeks.
- Patrick Tuipulotu – Has had surgery for a facial fracture. Estimated return to play: 4 weeks.
- Cam Roigard – Stress fracture in right foot. Estimated return to play: 3-4 weeks.
- Noah Hotham – Has had surgery for a high ankle sprain. Estimated return to play: 3-4 weeks.
- Caleb Clarke – Available for NPC following ankle injury. Available for second South Africa Test.
- Luke Jacobson – Available for NPC following thigh injury. Available for second South Africa Test.
- George Bower, who was named in the Rugby Championship squad as injury cover for Tamaiti Williams, has not assembled for the South Africa Tests following Williams’ return from injury.
All other injury cover players – Tevita Mafileo, Josh Lord, Finlay Christie, Kyle Preston and Leroy Carter – remain with the squad.

Cortez Ratima is continuing to be assessed for availability after sustaining a rib fracture during the most recent Test against Argentina, while Anton Lienert-Brown (concussion) and Tyrel Lomax (hand fracture) have both recovered from injury to re-join the squad in Auckland.

Also joining the squad in Auckland as training cover for the week are lock Sam Darry and halfback Xavier Roe.
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September 1, 2025
Hundreds feared dead, injured in Afghanistan earthquake – RADIO PAKISTAN
1. Hundreds feared dead, injured in Afghanistan earthquake RADIO PAKISTAN
2. Afghanistan earthquake live: More than 800 people killed, 2,500 injured Al Jazeera
3. At least 9 dead, more casualties feared as 6.0-magnitude earthquake hits Afghanistan Dawn
4. Afghanistan earthquake: Over 500 dead, 1000 injured; buildings shook from Kabul to Islamabad The Times of India
5. Afghanistan earthquake latest: At least 800 dead after 6.0-magnitude quake The Independent
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September 1, 2025
Biker who crashed at 200mph determined to race again

Ben FryerBBC News, Essex and

Louise ParryBBC News, Essex

Supplied

Danny said it felt like the bike “spat” him off as he crossed the finish line at Santa Pod in August

A motorbike racer who came off his bike at 210mph said it was “a miracle” he survived, but he has not decided to give up racing.

Danny Cockerill, 56, from Basildon in Essex, had just finished a personal best at Santa Pod Raceway when he lost control of his Suzuki Hayabusa Turbo drag bike.

“I travelled down the finish line, barrel rolling, sliding, crashing and banging – I didn’t think it was ever going to stop.

“I saw daylight and darkness, and every time I rolled over it hurt. When I came to a stop I was lying on my back and my nephew said ‘Just lie still’,” Mr Cockerill recalled.

He had been racing his nephew at the track on Sunday 17 August, accelerating from zero to 210mph in 7.01 seconds.

“When I left the start line, everything seemed really good. The bike was on a good run, it was a personal best run.

“I went through the finish line at 210 miles per hour, but by the time I came off the motorcycle it was more like 219,” he said.

Danny Cockerill

Danny is recovering well despite suffering multiple injuries

Mr Cockerill said the team at Santa Pod were “absolutely fantastic”.

“The medics came and told me to stay still. I had to have an operation to the knee, and there were broken bones. I had a lot of grazes to the rest of my body.”

Mr Cockerill also needed a skin graft on his forearm and said: “I’m pleased to say I’m here to tell the tale.”

“Even the hospital couldn’t believe how well I was, not long after the accident.

“I was alert the next day – it’s a miracle really that I’m still alive.

“People may say ‘Now’s the time to hang up your boots’, but life’s for living.”

Danny Cockerill

Danny’s daughter (pictured) and wife said they didn’t think he would want to give up racing just yet

He said when the accident happened, he was “ready to quit,” but is now “contemplating getting a bike back together to go and race next year”.

“My wife and daughter apparently spoke on the Sunday night. I was trying to achieve a goal and didn’t quite get to it.

“They were discussing my future and didn’t think I’d be ready to quit without running a six second pass.

“I haven’t made that decision yet. I’m not worried about getting back on a bike – it depends on finances and my ability to do so,” he added.

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September 1, 2025
Mum of girl who died from chickenpox welcomes vaccine plan

Aimee DexterBBC News, Essex and

Helen BurchellBBC News, Essex

Angie Bunce-Mason

Elana died from chickenpox when she was three years old in 2009

A mother whose three-year-old daughter died from chickenpox has encouraged people to get their children vaccinated.

Elana, from Thurrock, Essex, contracted the disease in 2009 and died six days later at Basildon Hospital after it had spread to her lungs.

Angie Bunce-Mason spoke about her campaign to raise awareness following the recent announcement that all young children in the UK will be offered a free chickenpox vaccine by the NHS from January.

She said: “I hope that it will help other people make that decision to have their child vaccinated and protect them.”

Ms Bunce-Mason said her daughter was a “healthy three year old” and had only been to see a doctor for her routine vaccinations.

Elana contracted chickenpox on a Sunday, and her mother took her to the GP on Friday as she was still lethargic and not eating.

“Like most people it was a rite of passage, and I was like ‘great she is getting it out of the way before she goes to school’,” Ms Bunce-Mason said.

“I had no clue it could be so fatal.”

Angie Bunce-Mason

Ms Bunce-Mason said her daughter was a healthy child

The GP sent Elana to the hospital after they suspected she had contracted pneumonia.

After arriving at the hospital, Elana suffered a cardiac arrest early the next morning.

Ms Bunce-Mason said: “After an hour’s worth of resuscitation we had to make the decision to stop.

“She ended up having a post-mortem and the post-mortem revealed that she had chickenpox internally.”

Ms Bunce-Mason said she started campaigning 16 years ago to raise awareness on the virus and said the recent announcement “could have not been better news” for her and her family.

‘Good thing’

The vaccine will be given as two doses, at 12 and 18 months of age, combined with the existing MMR jab which protects against measles, mumps and rubella.

Until now, parents who wanted to protect their child against the chickenpox varicella virus, which causes red itchy spots, have paid privately.

Dr Sarah Pitt, a microbiologist at the University of Brighton, said the vaccination being available was a “very good thing”.

She said: “I think people have forgotten how nasty chickenpox can actually be.

“The vaccine will save lives and save suffering in children, which is always going to be a good thing.”

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September 1, 2025