Construction

Concrete levy will stop major infrastructure projects, say developers

One concrete manufacturer described tariff, designed to recoup some of the costs of €3 billion mica redress scheme from the building industry, as a ‘nightmare’ scenario

Eibhlín and Michael Keohane, Keohane Readymix: ‘We see it as having a hugely negative impact on our business, and on our relationship with our customers,’ Eibhlín said. Picture: John Allen

The government’s controversial plan to impose a 5 per cent levy on concrete blocks will add nearly €300 million to the cost of its Housing for All policy and make many major building projects unviable, developers have warned.

Builders and concrete manufacturers have asked the government to defer the tax – introduced to help fund the cost of the mica redress scheme – for two years, given the cost inflation that is already causing major ...