Dr. Ciaran Byrne:

It is significantly expert. The recent report, which was published late last year, from the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs for a zero-carbon economy identified that approximately 17,000 staff are required to satisfy this part of the industry. We have been liaising with our colleagues in the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. Some €22 million was allocated this year and €70 million is going to nearly zero energy building, NZEB, and green economy for the creation of additional places. We are basically going to double the number of training places from about 2,500 up to nearly 5,000. We are also plugging directly into the education and training boards, ETBs, two of which are up and running, and three of which we are in the process of establishing, for the expressed purpose of training operatives in relation to the retrofitting industry. Areas such as Laois and Offaly have a training centre in Mount Lucas. We have linked our own contractors to the education and training board in Mount Lucas to join hands to help to get staff trained.

The point about training is very interesting. A significant amount of academic training is not required. Relatively short courses can get people upskilled, reskilled in many cases, or new into the industry. There are a number people who are starting to reskill. There are people, for example, in the plumbing industry, who are looking at how to reskill in heat pumps. There are a number courses being put on by the ETBs in that regard. It is about scaling up. We are lifting all the boats, but we have been plugged in very closely to the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and the ETBs on that.