Shortage of tradespeople ‘a crisis’ for housing

MEMBERS of Cork County Council have agreed to take an inter-county approach to the promotion of apprenticeships.

Fianna Fáil’s Cllr Ian Doyle tabled a motion at a Council meeting o calling on the Council to engage with the Education and Training Board (ETB) for the purpose of creating additional engineering, health care, culinary and hospitality skills courses at Mannix College in Charleville.

The shortage of people in these, and other trades, led to councillors from across all parties recommending that the initiative be extended to educational institutions in Kerry, Tipperary and Limerick.

They reasoned that by broadening the scope and range of the courses available, it would help towns and cities  bounce back economically after the Covid-19 lockdown.

Given the Government’s renewed emphasis on apprenticeships, Cllr Doyle said the local authority should be doing its part to encourage people to consider taking up a trade. Cllr Patrick Gerard Murphy (FF), who is the chairman of the ETB, said it is working to delive more courses outside of city setting and to create more educational opportunities in local areas.

Cllr Joe Carroll (FF) described the shortage of tradesmen as ‘a crisis’ and said it is having a big impact on the provision of housing, particularly post-lockdown. Cllr Pat Hayes (FF) said an estimated 86% of construction companies need additional staff.