Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am not satisfied, and I cannot be, because I have a number of reports that show really acute skills shortages in key areas of the economy. We know that we will need 50,000 more people to work in construction by 2030 and around 17,000 people to work in retrofitting. Both of those numbers are really important for our housing and climate agendas. We also know that those numbers are likely to increase as housing targets increase. I can point to much good progress in terms of increased apprenticeships, new short courses and the expansion of higher education courses in these areas, as well as greater levels of interest and uptake. There are encouraging signs but there is certainly no room for complacency by any manner or means. In a country that has full employment, we now have to look at everything including the issues of underemployment, how we help people to regain employment who have been out of the workforce, and the issue of work permits. This really does show that this #IrelandIsFull nonsense that we read about online is a farce.

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