Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 36: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, further to Parliamentary Question No. 522 of 10 March 2009, when the upskilling co-ordination group last met; the person who chaired the meeting; the location at which the group usually meets and the frequency of these meetings; if minutes of the meetings are taken; if she will provide copies of the minutes for the past five meetings to the relevant Opposition spokespersons; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12264/09]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Upskilling Coordination Group was established in early 2007 to facilitate a more co-ordinated strategic approach to labour force upskilling and training policy and to enhance co-operation, exchange information and avoid duplication between relevant Government Departments and State and other agencies on relevant policy and operational issues. Central to the work of the Group is the monitoring of progress towards achievement of the relevant upskilling objectives and commitments set out in Government policy documents such as the 'Towards 2016' Framework Social Partnership Agreement 2006-2015, the National Development Plan and, in particular, the National Skills Strategy. That National Skills Strategy sets out clear long-term objectives for Ireland's education and training systems including the need to upskill, by at least one level on the National Framework of Qualifications an additional 500,000 persons by 2020.

In seeking to achieve the objectives of the National Skills Strategy, the Upskilling Coordination Group continues to ensure that training providers place particular emphasis on persons with low basic skills and on the accreditation of the types of training undertaken. The Group is chaired by the Assistant Secretary of the Labour Force Development Division of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and normally meets quarterly at the Department's offices on Adelaide Road. The Group is comprised of representatives of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, the Department of Education and Science, FÁS, Skillnets, Enterprise Ireland, the County Enterprise Boards, Forfas and, from 2009, the Vocational Educational Committee, the Institutes of Technology and the Higher Education Authority. The Group last met on 19 January 2009 and all meetings are minuted. The minutes of the most recent five meetings of the Group will be provided to the Deputy as requested.