Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Something that must be addressed, and is being addressed, is the question of a skills shortages. We are short approximately 20,000 workers with the appropriate skills to build the more than 33,000 houses we want. In this respect the new centre in Drogheda for training apprentices with a €4.5 million investment will see 400 apprentices going through it over the next 12 months. This is the future. On the question the Deputy asked, there are other issues that have to be addressed also.

See this speech in context