Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The shortage of skilled workers across multiple sectors in Irish industry ties into a failure by the State agencies to produce adequately trained staff for businesses which are expanding and desperately and urgently need staff.

In some cases, industries must recruit from outside the country owing to the lack of qualified staff at home. The Construction Industry Federation published a statement this week about the threat posed by skill shortages to the growth potential of a number of sectors. The Associated Craft Butchers of Ireland has also expressed concern about the failure of State-funded apprenticeships and training courses to meet demand in its sector. The car business has raised concerns about the lack of mechanics, qualified technicians and skilled personnel. That sector is experiencing a considerable recovery and seeing significant growth in employment opportunities, but car dealers have had to seek to employ people from abroad to fill vacancies. According to the motoring executive, an extra 4,500 people have been employed in the sector in the recent past and there is the potential to create a further 5,000 jobs during the next few years. In County Kerry a couple of firms that recently sought to fill vacancies for qualified welders and fabricators failed to fill them. One firm needs up to 40 highly skilled welders, but regrettably the agencies are not providing suitably qualified people to fill such positions. The quality of training has been substandard. We, therefore, need to up the tempo, as the quality of training has not been in line with industry's needs. For example, there is a major shortfall in various categories of chef and in-house worker in the hospitality and hotel industries, respectively. We are falling far short of meeting such needs adequately.

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