James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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305. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the studies her Department has previously, is currently, or plans to carry out to develop a skills profile of workers needed in the technology sector; if any of this information will come from the findings of census 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20114/16]

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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In 2013, the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) published a report on “Addressing Future Demand for High-Level ICT Skills”in Ireland. This report indicated a strong on-going demand for people with high-level ICT skills across many sectors of the economy – not just the ICT sector itself. The Export Group’s report suggested that 44,500 new job openings could arise in Ireland from expansion and replacement demand over the period to 2018.

A main recommendation in the Expert Group’s report was that the quantity and quality of ICT graduates should be boosted. The report also recommended that enterprises should move further towards the development of experienced employees and providing career pathways for new graduate entrants.

The Government’s ICT Skills Action Plan provides an integrated education system response to increasing the supply of high-level ICT skills.

The current Plan, which covers the period 2014-2018 focuses on actions under three Priority areas:

1. Increasing output of high-level graduates;

2. Enhancing ICT capacity and awareness in the education system; and

3. Ensuring Ireland maintains a strong ICT talent pool and promoting Ireland as a centre for high-level ICT Skills

Actions being taken to increase skills supply include the funding of additional places at Third Level, the provision of targeted reskilling/skills conversion opportunities, and marketing Ireland as a location of choice for international tech professionals looking to work on challenging and interesting projects.

The implementation of the ICT Skills Action Plan is driven by a High Level Steering Group under the auspices of my Department and the Department of Education and Skills. The Steering Group includes industry representatives. A key aspect of the success in progressing the ICT Skills Action Plan process to date has been the close engagement of industry with Government Departments and education and training providers.

The 2016 Action Plan for Jobs includes a commitment to review the implementation of the ICT Skills Action Plan and identify additional measures that might be taken to boost the supply of skilled workers in this area. My Department will work closely with the Department of Education and Skills on this review.

The profile of the specific ICT/Tech occupations used in the EGFSN’s previous work was derived from a special tabulation of occupational codes produced by the CSO from the Census 2011.

Similar findings from the Census 2016 will be valuable in updating this ICT/Tech occupational profiles information.