Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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633. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on whether Fáilte Ireland is not doing a good job at directly providing or facilitating the training of new chefs; his further views on whether a new public body should be established to co-ordinate and drive an expansion in the number of training places, especially vocational training places, in hospitality and tourism; and if he has examined plans in this regard in the recent past. [22066/17]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Education and Skills has overall responsibility for skills development policy generally across all sectors, including hospitality and tourism, and oversees the bulk of the required education and training delivered nationally through the mainstream higher and further education and training sectors.  There are no plans to establish a new training organisation or other oversight body for the tourism and hospitality sector specifically.  Rather, projected skills demands across the economy are being addressed through a combination of measures involving various key stakeholders. For its part, Fáilte Ireland provides 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 the Irish economy.  Furthermore, in line with my Department's Tourism Action Plan 2016-2018, Fáilte Ireland is committed to working with the tourism industry and the wider education and training sector to implement recommendations contained in the report of the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) in the hospitality sector.  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. With specific regard to chef training, Fáilte Ireland is playing a leading role in the development of a culinary apprenticeship programme through its participation, together with industry stakeholders, on the consortium collaborating on its development.  I have conveyed to Fáilte Ireland my strong desire that an excellent-quality apprenticeship regime would be brought forward as soon as possible and Fáilte Ireland is working with all the stakeholders to that end.

I expect this approach to address the challenges regarding the supply of skilled chefs and I will continue to monitor the situation.