Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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Question 241: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a formal process has been established to ensure that training provided by Solas is consistent with the demands of the labour markets and needs of individuals; if not, when it will be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20042/12]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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In 2012, at a time of reducing resources, my Department will fund over 450,000 education and training places across the range of provision in the higher education, further education and training sectors.

In addition, FAS and the VECs have been requested to prioritise the long-term unemployed in their 2012 provision. Interim referral protocols have also been agreed, which will facilitate the referral of unemployed people from welfare offices to VEC further education programmes, to complement existing referral protocols between welfare offices and FÁS.

The alignment of many FÁS training programmes with evolving labour market needs is evidence-based. This is facilitated by FÁS' internal resource namely, the National Skills Database (NSD), as well as research by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) and other relevant sources, including engagement with employers, industry and education and training providers

The Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) advises the Government on current and future skills needs of the economy and on other labour market issues that impact on Ireland's enterprise and employment growth. It has a central role in ensuring that labour market needs for skilled workers are anticipated and met. The work of the EGFSN has allowed the Government to identify future skills shortages in certain areas, such as the ICT sector, in advance and has enabled remedial action to take place, where necessary. In addition the EGFSN drafted Ireland's National Skills Strategy, which forecasts Ireland's skills requirements up to the year 2020. An Implementation Group has been set up to establish SOLAS, which will have strategic responsibility for the further education and training sector. I am chairing this Group and its membership includes representatives from the Department of Education and Skills, FÁS, the Irish Vocational Education Association and the Department of Social Protection. The Group has been meeting regularly to drive the establishment process forward. The Heads of a Bill for the establishment have been approved by Government and have recently been referred to the Office of the Attorney General for drafting purposes.

The Government is committed to the seamless continuation of service delivery in the further education and training sector pending the formal establishment of SOLAS.