Ireland will need major inward migration of construction workers if the industry is to achieve targets for new housing, a new report has found.

However, the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) report says the high cost of accommodation is acting as a deterrent for people who want to work here.

According to the ESRI research, the construction sector is going to need a major boost to employment numbers if housing supply is going to meet demand - and much of the extra labour will have to come from immigrant workers.

It warns Ireland's accommodation costs could act as a "disincentive" for people thinking about moving here to work in construction, particularly in the Dublin area.

The authors of the report explain: "It now appears that much of the additional labour required for housing supply and other construction and infrastructural work would have to be secured through inward net migration.

"Most of this additional labour supply would likely come from other European countries or countries which traditionally may not have witnessed much migration to the Irish economy."

The study also finds that a significant increase in housing output will require the number of construction jobs here returning to Celtic Tiger levels.

It predicts a big increase in mortgage lending as more homes come on the market.

However, the ESRI argues that it's essential that the Central Bank maintains the regulations that oversee mortgage lending - or we could see the build-up of another property bubble.