A concrete industry group has warned of a looming shortfall in reserves of raw materials for the sector due to changes in the planning requirements for quarries. The Irish Concrete Federation called for a "national aggregates plan" to identify, map and secure legitimate reserves of material.

"Unless such a plan is put in place, we may end up in a situation where we simply cannot access the raw materials essential for the country's continued economic success and development needs," said federation chief executive John Maguire.

A strategic review of the sector by consultants Grant Thornton found that industry capacity will have to increase to meet future demand. The federation said the industry had 17.6 years of reserves available to it at current extraction rates, much lower than an "advisable" level of reserves of 25-40 years.

"On an individual company basis, failure to consider future capital investment needs when determining product selling prices is likely to produce a situation where companies cannot add new capacity in plant, machinery or reserves," said the report.

Tony O'Brien of Grant Thornton, author of the report, said that "a key concern" of the industry was its ability to develop new reserves of aggregate and stone, as well as generating the capital needed to invest in new plant and equipment.

"There is a strong perception that current pricing levels do not provide sufficient return to meet future capital needs," he added.

The report said: "Extraction from quarries is going to be more difficult in the future. Planning conditions are likely to demand that the industry has to be more responsible; will have to be local-resident sensitive and will have to be more environmentally friendly. The industry will have to be even more professional."