Contractors are being hit by a shortage of skilled labour as silage season hits peak.

As the construction sector improves, it is drawing skilled drivers away from seasonal work such as silage and back on to building sites, contractors report.

Keen drivers are hard to find and even harder to keep as many move into construction apprenticeships and back to their former trades.

The shortage is confirmed by a sharp drop in the number of tractor licences issued annually. There were 55,000 fewer tractor (W) full licences issued last year, compared with 2011, figures from the Road Safety Authority (RSA) have revealed.

Last year, 387,157 category W tractor full licences were issued by the RSA, a drop of 12% on the 442,716 full licences issued five years previously.

The biggest issue

Richard White, chair of the Association of Farm and Forestry Contractors in Ireland (FCI), told the Irish Farmers Journal that contractors are facing significant challenges on labour availability and managing labour costs.

“This is just one of a number of major issues that are affecting the long-term viability of silage-making activities and many other activities for many FCI members,” said White.

“Skilled machinery operators are being drawn back into the construction sector and that is once again a huge challenge for us land-based contractors who can only offer seasonal driving opportunities.

It’s very hard to get good, reliable lads

“There used to be plenty of lads looking for work now but not anymore,” Cork-based contractor Timmy O’Brien said.

In Galway, Dermot Casey said two of his part-time employees, an electrician and a carpenter, had returned to the building trade this year.

“You can’t blame them, our work is very seasonal so we have to let them go when we don’t have work,” he said.

“We just can’t make the competition from the building trade.”

“The next generation doesn’t have the same interest,” remarked Louth-based Paul Shevlin. “Long hours didn’t bother people a few years ago but now they’ve all got lives, they’re at the gym, they’re doing other things.”

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