Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 153: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the way he will address the need to up skill the Irish labour force in the coming years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2593/07]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 1130: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if job skills here are on par with those available in the various countries to which Irish jobs are relocated in the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3037/07]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 1131: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his proposals to upskill the Irish workforce in line with modern requirements and particularly in order to compete with the skills available in other economies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3038/07]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 1132: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if adequate training, educational and upskilling opportunities are available here to enable the workforce meet modern demands in terms of skills; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3039/07]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 153 and 1130 to 1132, inclusive, together.

In an increasingly knowledge-based and globalised environment, skills required are progressively becoming more sophisticated. While manpower forecasting over the medium to longer term can only provide an approximation of likely demand and supply, the Government has made provision to ensure that we have the best assessment of future skills needs and the policies and training programmes in place to respond to them.

Central to this endeavour is the work of the Expert Group on Future Skills Group. It has been monitoring developments and proposing responses since 1997. That work has involved ongoing research into labour demand and supply in a number of economic sectors.

In recent years the overall context within which that has been taking place has been characterised by a tight labour market — more employment and less unemployment. Existing and emerging skills shortages have been estimated and responded to by:

Significantly increasing public funding to improve the skills of those at work

Providing more focused incentives and supports to encourage those capable of working to enter into active employment

Benefiting from immigration to meet current skills shortages in the indigenous workforce

In the course of this year my Department will invest nearly €480 million in training programmes operated by FAS, Skillnets and others organisations. Out of this sum €280 million will be allocated to training programmes to prepare people enter employment. A further €70 million is being provided to train those already in employment. In addition, €130 million, a significant increase on last year's provision, has been made available to fund apprenticeships training programmes and so to cater for historically high numbers of apprentices.

In the course of the National Development Plan overall about €7.7 billion in public funds will be used to support training and skills development. This is again indicative of the importance that the Government attaches to having a highly skilled, highly productive, flexible and mobile workforce that will support national competitiveness and sustain economic and social prosperity into the future.

Finally, I asked Forfas to undertake research that will inform a National Skills Strategy out as far as 2020. That work in now complete and will be published shortly.