The government has spent nearly €500,000 on an advertising campaign aimed at persuading construction workers who emigrated to countries like Canada and Australia to return home.
The initiative features large billboards carrying messages such as “You’ve built Sydney, now come and build back home,” in a bid to draw back some of the 70,000 construction workers expected to be needed in Ireland by 2030, reports Breaking News.
However, many workers have said that soaring living costs and the ongoing housing shortage remain significant obstacles to returning to Ireland.
Speaking on Newstalk, plumber Martin said he doesn’t see the campaign being a success: “If 10,000 people came back, where are they going to live? The cost of living here has gone through the roof. I know people in Australia, they have a good life, good weather. They’re still leaving Ireland,” reports Breaking News.
“Ireland is now a very expensive country to live in. So people that have left will not come back. I know people who came here from Australia two years ago. They bought a house out there where I’m living and they’re selling up again. They’re going back to Australia. They said it’s way too expensive, they can’t afford it,” reports Breaking News.
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