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Deputy Pa Daly.
KERRY Sinn Féin TD, Pa Daly has urged action on the skills crisis within the building trades.
Deputy Daly said Kerry is facing a crisis in the construction labour market with declining numbers of plasterers, brick layers and blocklayers.
“We need to build and deliver houses to alleviate the chronic issues in housing,” said Deputy Daly. “However any investment will be endangered if we don’t have the skills available to carry out the work.
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“The covid-19 pandemic put a dent in the rates of training needed, and we cannot afford to delay any further. Accordingly, I have been in discussions with the ETB in an effort to expand the number of training courses around the county, not just in the Tralee training center.
“Numbers are still limited due to pandemic, but we can and should look at venues such as Killarney, Cahersiveen, Castleisland, Listowel and Dingle for extra sessions. This would not only equip young people with skills they can use and allow for an active labour market, but also breathe some extra life and footfall into these towns as we in Kerry look to recover from the devastating economic and social effects of the pandemic,” concluded Deputy Daly.
Very necessary given the fact that between 2008 and now there was a tiny number of construction trade apprenticeships completed compared to before the crash.
The state could use supervised apprenticeships in hands on training to assist in the physical construct social housing itself, instead of paying the private sector too much of the tax payers money.
The government could build 2 or 3 times the numbers of social housing for the same price if this was done!
Corruption is why this will never happen.