James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

231. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department has commenced a review of the ICT skills action plan, as committed to in the 2016 Action Plan for Jobs; the timeframe which has been set on delivering this review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22268/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

In March 2014, my Department and the Department of Jobs Enterprise and Innovation, launched an ICT Skills Action Plan 2014 - 2018. The Plan was developed in close collaboration with industry. The plan sets out a collaborative, system-wide response, across Departments, agencies and the education and enterprise sectors aimed at building the domestic supply of graduates from the education system and ensuring Ireland maintains a strong ICT talent pool and promoting Ireland internationally as a centre for high-level ICT skills. Implementation of the Plan is underway, with oversight of a high level steering group comprising DES, DJEI and representatives from industry and the education sector.

A number of significant developments have taken place since the ICT Action Plan was published in 2014. In 2015, my Department published the Digital Strategy for Schools and commenced work on the development of the Regional Skills Fora. The Department has also commenced funding for the Associate Profession ICT and new Apprenticeship models are now being developed. The National Skills Strategy 2025 was published in January 2016, which includes a range of relevant actions.

The review of the Plan has commenced and it is expected to be completed by Q4 2016.