Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 26: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he expects to utilise the skills currently available to meet the requirements of industry thus leading to greater job creation; the extent to which he expects to engage with the third level institutions with a view to meeting the requirements for both the public and private sector in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19236/11]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 128: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent of third level courses that are available to meet requirements of the public and the private sector in the future; if particular disciplines have been identified or trends established which might suggest a scarcity of graduates in the future; the measures taken if any to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19464/11]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 26 and 128 together.

The Expert Group on Future Skills Needs plays a key role in advising on the future skills needs of enterprise. Its reports are disseminated directly to third level institutions and provide a valuable input to the development and amendment of course curricula. EGFSN research and engagement between higher education providers and industry also informed the development and selection of the part time higher education programmes being funded through Springboard. Under this new initiative 6,000 places are being provided for unemployed people in areas where employment opportunities are expected to arise in the future, ranging from the food industry to ICT to green technology and international services. My Department and the HEA, in collaboration with the Secretariat to the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs, are also working closely with the ICT industry to develop further responses to specific skills needs that have been identified by that sector.