Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)

There is no need to argue about the need for upskilling. Many of the jobs that were lost in recent times were low skilled in nature. The best thing we can do for the people who lost those jobs and those who will lose similar jobs is to deliver on the national skills strategy.

I understand that the aim is to upskill 500,000 people by one qualification people in the next 12 to 13 years. How many of these individuals will be upskilled to that degree this year? The Minister referred to the money that will be invested in upskilling. I was of the view that the bulk of this will go to FÁS and the Skillnets. I contacted FÁS earlier this week and was informed that it will only be able to upskill 30,000 people this year under the One-Step-Up initiative. However, these individuals will not be upskilled by one level.

They may be upskilled by a module, a subdivision of one level. Is the Minister of State happy with that? How many of the 500,000 will be upskilled by one level this year and how will that be done?

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