Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 335: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the reason he refused funding to the OECD for participation in a study of the labour force skills base here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24783/07]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) is a project of the OECD together with a number of member countries for the development of a new generation of household-based surveys of adult skills in selected domains of measurable ability.

Ireland declined to be involved in the OECD's PIAAC due to a number of concerns. These included the high cost of participation, reservations concerning the proposed methodology, the unclear gains in terms of additional knowledge that participation in the programme would provide, the lack of participation by virtually all EU Member States, resulting in limitations in terms of comparability at EU level and concerns regarding value for money of participating in the PIAAC. This decision reflected advice from within my own Department, Forfás and FÁS.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 336: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the research that has been carried out in relation to the skills base of the labour force here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24784/07]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Expert Group on Future Skills Needs was established in 1997 to advise the Government on aspects of education and training related to the future skills requirements of the enterprise sector of the Irish economy. The Group is comprised of representatives of business, employees, education, Government departments and State agencies. Its mandate provides that it will act as the central national resource on skills and labour supply for the enterprise sector. Since its establishment the Expert Group has been analysing Ireland's skills base and producing reports on a variety of key issues.

In 2005 I asked the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs to identify the skills required for Ireland to reinforce our progress towards becoming a competitive, innovative, knowledge based, inclusive economy by 2020. The Group undertook a detailed programme of research and a wide consultation process. The results led to the publication of the Report "Towards a National Skills Strategy".

The work completed by the Expert Group contains a comprehensive description of Ireland's overall skills base for 2005 and a vision of Ireland for 2020. It also identified the measures necessary to make this vision a reality. The Expert Group continues to examine and report on key issues concerning the skills base of Ireland.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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There is no skills register for County Kildare maintained under the auspices of my Department or its agencies.

Through its Quarterly National Household Survey the CSO collects statistics and information concerning skills and education qualifications at a regional level. However, this information does not give an insight to the skills of the individuals working or living at county level.