Carol Nolan (Offaly, Independent)
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143. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to establish a national tourism and hospitality training authority to ensure co-ordination between the relevant tourism and hospitality bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41277/19]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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In line with provision of training for other sectors across the economy, education and training for the tourism and hospitality sector is primarily funded and delivered through the higher and further education and training bodies, namely, SOLAS, the Institutes of Technology and the Education and Training Boards.

In regard to tourism and hospitality, it is recognised that the best approach to support sustainable employment requires a coordinated and collaborative approach by industry, education, training providers, and other relevant stakeholders. Accordingly, as a successor to the Hospitality Oversight Group which was set up in 2016, a new Tourism and Hospitality Careers Oversight Group was established in 2018. The purpose of this group is to coordinate the relevant bodies in the sector to agree and implement a work programme to address current and future labour supply and skills requirements in the tourism and hospitality sector.Accordingly, there are no plans at present to establish a specialised national tourism and hospitality training authority.