Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Some of the evidence I have shows that employers who are trying to plan for post-pandemic growth are concerned they will find it hard to get people to work because they may not be available. How do they take people in, train them and retain them? That is part of the process. If we invest in training people, how do we retain them in their jobs. That will be a challenge.

Another area about which I have a concern and on which I would like to get the witnesses' thoughts relates to our construction industry, which is closed to an extent. It is 100% operational in the UK, Northern Ireland and beyond. We are the only country in which it is this way. I understand many of those not so much in senior management but in middle management have migrated back to London or elsewhere to work rather than hanging around here. Post-Covid when we will be seeking resources to help us rebuild the economy, we will have a shortage of skill at management level in the construction industry. That will have an impact on the cost and pace as which we get projects done.

Another area of concern is that we have pent up savings and people will want to spend that money or to do things with it. Inflation could pop into the equation.

How does the ESRI deal with inflation and what effects will inflation have in a recovery?