Written answers

Wednesday, 13 October 2021

Department of Education and Skills

Further and Higher Education

Photo of Violet-Anne WynneViolet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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79. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the role of his Department in future-proofing certain industries as Ireland progresses towards carbon reduction goals; if there will be oversight from his Department in realigning third-level courses towards a more sustainable economy and future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49584/21]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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My Department is committed to playing its part in moving towards a more sustainable economy and future and to developing the pipeline of green skills to support future proofing. The National Recovery and Resilience Plan will provide significant investment to advance the green transition. The SOLAS Green Skills Action programme will provide training at further education level to address climate and low carbon economy issues and will include a skills focus on areas such as nearly-zero energy building, retrofitting and specific skills for bricklaying, carpentry, electrics, plastering and plumbing. Green skills training modules will be made available to 60,000 further education and training learners. A work placement programme and the expansion of Technological Universities will also develop expertise and provide opportunities in Ireland’s future green economy.

In higher education, the Human Capital Initiative has provided significant funding for courses that include a focus on the environment, climate change, sustainability. Across HCI Pillars 1 and 2, 16 courses with a specific focus on environment/energy/sustainability/circular economy were approved, providing almost 1000 course places for learners. A number of HCI pillar 3 projects with notable components addressing climate action, environment and sustainability were awarded funding and will have wide-reaching impacts, given the multi-partner collaborative approach adopted in many instances. A number of Springboard+ courses also have a focus on environment /sustainability.

Achieving our climate action targets in relation to retrofit of the national housing stock, a move towards electric transport and sustainable energy generation will depend heavily on accessing an appropriately skilled workforce, supported by education and training options from across the further and higher education and training system. Two centres of excellence in Near Zero Energy Building/Retrofit have been established, with a further three in development at the current time, with scheduled reviews of existing curricula in craft apprenticeships including new and emerging green technologies.

In April, Minister Foley and I announced a public consultation on the development of the second National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). The strategy will be aligned with UNESCO’s Framework to 2030 and SDG 4.7, which aims that:

“By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development”.

Further embedding ESD in curricula and programmes at all levels will be a key focus area in the strategy to support this. It is expected that the new strategy for ESD to 2030 will be published during the first quarter of 2022.

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