Irish Examiner View: Tradespeople need houses too

The Government’s housing targets could become more and more unachievable if the very workers needed to build them are forced to leave the country

If Ireland is not producing enough qualified tradespeople, that will have a knock-on effect on building targets. But if qualified tradespeople are unable to buy houses because not enough of them are being built, will they be forced to emigrate? Picture: Rui Vieira/PA

The housing crisis continues to sprawl across the Irish landscape, reaching into various sectors of modern life, having an impact everywhere one might expect, as well as in some places one might not.

The new plan to give local authorities €150m to buy vacant derelict buildings in cities and towns — to make them available for housing — is one example of the impact of the crisis.