Dr. Kieran McQuinn:

There probably are a number of sectors that may suffer from bottlenecks as we move forward. One area we are particularly cognisant of, and pay particular attention to, is the construction sector. The Housing for All plan sets out quite significant targets for meeting housing supply over the coming years, with which most of us would agree and wish to see occurring. However, there is no doubt it will pose a significant challenge in achieving those targets and the ratcheting up of supply. We are looking to increase housing supply at a time when the unemployment rate is heading towards 5% this year. That will pose a significant challenge in getting the workers necessary to achieve that output level. This is one sector of the economy that is likely to experience difficulties in achieving that.

On what can be done, some of the issues are more long term, such as improving training programmes and getting people back into the supply side of the construction sector. Net immigration and migration may also play a very important role. We have in the past seen a large influx of workers into the country who were targeted more at the construction end of the scale in terms of where they could contribute. That probably is the most pressing area in which we would envisage bottlenecks arising but there are others within the economy. My colleague, Dr. O'Toole, may want to comment on this.