Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern is to visit an Irish construction project located in the South African legislative capital of Cape Town.

Each year, Irish construction workers visit the country for a 'building blitz' where they join construction workers from the UK, US, Canada, Australia and from throughout Europe. November 2008 brought 1,350 volunteers, building a total of 205 houses, a community centre and a garden of hope. The Niall Mellon Townships Initiative spearheads the project with 350 Irish men and women making the journey. Every county in Ireland was represented on the volunteer build.

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The majority of the volunteers, around 80%, come from the construction industry with the rest coming from all walks of life, from farmers, to doctors to pilots. The skilled nature of the volunteer workforce means the charity can build quality homes in the quickest time possible.

Each Irish volunteer had to raise a minimum of €4,000 to take part in the project, which has been running since 2003.

After the township visit, Mr Ahern will attend a reception for South Africa's Irish community, held in Cape Town's Table Bay Hotel.

(DW/JM)