Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There is no doubt that trade is improving and that we have increased growth, rising employment and decreasing unemployment but this is camouflaging major deficiencies within the broader economy. For example, insurance costs, childcare costs, housing costs, rental costs and so on are feeding into and underpinning uncompetitiveness in the broader economy. While we have a successful economy, we need to learn from previous times. Growth, a good trade surplus, rising employment and decreasing unemployment are key components of a good economy but if we allow uncompetitiveness to feed into the broader economy it will be undermined quickly. This can happen rapidly. Has it been brought to the Minister's attention that to attract foreign direct investment, FDI, and a skilled labour pool into the country we need to address the issue of housing and shortage of quality rental accommodation?

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