Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 32: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his views on the fact that there is a global skills shortage in micro-electronics circuit design and that Ireland has the opportunity to position itself as a location of choice for global players through focussing increased resources on micro-electronics circuit design research in universities and institutes. [39194/11]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The micro-electronics sector is well positioned to support Ireland's economic recovery efforts. There are several multinational micro-electronic companies based in Ireland including Intel, Analog Devices and Xilinx, as well as a small but growing base of indigenous companies. IDA Ireland continues to secure significant wins in FDI investment, a significant portion of which is due to the strong research base that Ireland has built up primarily through Science Foundation Ireland and the Programme for Research in Third-level Institutions over the past decade. There is a very strong human capital capacity in the micro-electronics sector in Ireland, which reinforces our offering to FDI companies while also simultaneously enhancing our tradition of excellence in this area.

The micro-electronics industry in Ireland has become much more high-value over the last decade. There is a high demand globally for skilled electronic engineering graduates including for micro-electronics circuit design work- especially for persons with several years' experience. The Irish approach to promoting interaction between universities and industry in the field of microchip design has been recognised by the prestigious Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers as the best in the world. The required skill sets are best developed in a semiconductor environment through in-company professional development programmes as well as public and private funded research programmes such as the Micro-electronic Competence Centre in the Tyndall National Institute, Cork and the NUI Maynooth Competence Centre in Micro-electronics. These initiatives are directly supported by Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland - and build on the collaborative strengths of both industry and academia.