Michael Ahern (Cork East, Fianna Fail)

It is important that there is recognition by all interested parties of an absolute need to upskill the workforce. That is the reason there is a commitment in the National Development Plan 2007-2013 of €7.7 billion to carry out the process. This will happen incrementally through the agencies with the remit for the work. We have evidence of people losing jobs so It is vitally important the upskilling process trains such people in a way that they can apply to existing industries for alternative employment.

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