SCS President, Ken Cribben told the audience at the society's annual dinner in Dublin last night that these job losses could be avoided if the Government provides €5bn to build roads, schools and hospitals.
"The industry is sliding off the face of a cliff," said Mr Cribben.
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"We are calling on the Government to consider a €5bn stimulus package to keep people employed, and to defer the €2.6bn social welfare cost of making them unemployed."
The SCS has suggested money from the State’s pension funds could be invested in construction projects.
The society said numbers employed in construction and housing had fallen from a high of 267,000 in 2007 to less than 100,000.
Mr Cribbin also backed calls for a property tax to fund councils up and down the country, while also suggesting that the Government appoints a chief adviser to head up new Construction Industry Consultative Council to promote the industry.
"A construction chief would oversee the delivery of the public capital programme and take advantage of the lowest tender prices in a decade to get this sector and the country's economy working again," he said.
(NS/BMcC)
