Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

80. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the degree to which he intends or expects adequately trained and skilled personnel to remain available to meet requirements in the industrial sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39321/16]

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

The work of the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs and the Skills and Labour Market Research Unit in SOLAS provides Government with forecasts for existing and future skills needs of different sectors of industry. These forecasts are used in the creation of strategies and initiatives aimed at responding to the skills needs of industry.

The work of the EGFSN and the SLMRU has fed into the development of the new National Skills Strategy 2025 – Ireland’s Future, which was launched in January of this year. The Strategy identifies Ireland’s current skills profile, provides a strategic vision and specific objectives for Ireland’s future skills requirements, and sets out a road map for how the vision and objectives can be achieved across the education and training sector. With over 140 Actions, the Strategy sets out the Government's commitment to improving and using skills for sustainable economic growth and outlines how we can develop a well-skilled, adaptable workforce that contributes to and shares in the benefits and opportunities of economic expansion.

This strategy alongside the ambitious targets set out in the Action Plan for Education 2016-2019 will ensure that Ireland will have the best Education and Training System in Europe thereby ensuring the availability of adequately trained and skilled personnel as required.