Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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272. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which adequate qualified staff are available to the hotel restaurant and catering services with particular reference to the need to achieve the highest competitive standards in all areas throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6385/17]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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Ensuring a sufficient supply of suitably qualified staff for the Irish tourism industry requires a combination of measures, including providing appropriate direct enterprise support, entry-level training and advanced/professional training; increasing the attractiveness of employment opportunities; and improving staff retention in certain occupations. Accordingly, Government Departments, agencies, education and training providers, industry bodies and employers each have a role to play.

The Department of Education and Skills has lead responsibility for skills development policy across all sectors, including hospitality and tourism. For its part, in addition to the mainstream higher and further education and training overseen by the Department of Education and Skills, Fáilte Ireland provides a limited number of complementary tourism-related business development and training supports, in line with its responsibility for encouraging, promoting and supporting tourism as a leading indigenous component of Ireland's economy. Furthermore, in line with the Tourism Action Plan 2016-2018, Fáilte Ireland is committed to working with the tourism industry and the wider education and training sector to implement the recommendations contained in the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) report on the hospitality sector, aimed at ensuring an adequate supply of skilled staff. 

In this regard, Fáilte Ireland participates in the Hospitality Skills Oversight Group, which oversees skills development and promotion in the sector, including monitoring the implementation of the EGFSN recommendations, and involves key stakeholders, education and training providers and relevant Government Departments and agencies. Fáilte Ireland is also an active participant, alongside key industry bodies, on the consortium collaborating on the development of the culinary apprenticeship.

I believe that this collaborative approach is the most effective way to support the sustainable development of the Irish tourism industry and help maintain and enhance our competitive position.