Written answers

Thursday, 9 December 2021

Department of Education and Skills

Departmental Consultations

Photo of Gary GannonGary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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281. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the working groups his Department has with industry; the members of the groups; and the way the members of each group were selected. [61103/21]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Underpinned by the framework of the National Skills Strategy 2016-2025, a core principle of skills policy development in Ireland is partnership with enterprise and other key stakeholders. This is achieved through a range of partnership platforms, which foster engagement, dialogue, and collaboration between relevant Government Departments and agencies, the education and training system, the enterprise agencies, and private sector representatives.

The National Skills Council is the high level partnership platform established under the National Skills Strategy. It is an advisory body made up of high-level representatives from public and private organisations, and aims to be a space for interactive dialogue in relation to skills priorities. The Council is currently chaired by Bob Savage, Vice President, Regional Chief Information Officer for EMEA and Cork Site Leader Dell Technologies. Full details of membership appended in tabular format.

National Skills Council Membership

Body Name
Chairperson Mr. Bob Savage
Secretary General, Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Mr. Jim Breslin
Assistant Secretary, Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Mr. William Beausang
HEA Dr. Alan Wall
QQI Dr. Padraig Walsh
SOLAS Mr. Andrew Brownlee
IDA Mr. Martin Shanahan
EI Mr. Leo Clancy
SFI Prof. Mark Ferguson
ETBI Mr. Paddy Lavelle
Skillnet Ireland Mr. Paul Healy
Secretary General, Department Enterprise, Trade and Employment Dr. Orlaigh Quinn
Secretary General, Department of Employment and Social Protection Mr. John McKeon
Assistant Secretary General, Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Ms. Patricia Coleman
IUA Prof. David FitzPatrick
THEA Dr. Brendan McCormack
SAP Labs Ireland Mr. Liam Ryan
Combilift Mr. Martin McVicar
P Mulrine & Sons Sales, Owner, Director Mr. Peter Mulrine
No.1 Pery Square Hotel & Spa, Pery Square, Limerick Ms. Patricia Roberts

Regional Skills Forum Members

National Training Fund Advisory Group

Body Name
Chairperson Liam Ryan (SAP Ireland)
ISME Adam Weatherley
IBEC Claire McGee
Chambers Ireland Alan Hickey/Shane Conneely
Construction Industry Federation Dermot Carey
Irish Exporters Association Simon McKeever
Irish Hotels Federation Michael Vaughan/Tim Fenn
American Chamber Of Commerce Ireland Mary Connole-Joyce
SOLAS Shauna Dunlop
Skillnet Ireland Paul Healy
The Wheel Deirdre Garvey
HEA Vivienne Patterson
Dept of Business, Enterprise and Innovation Marcus Breathnach
Dept of Social Protection Roshin Sen
Dept of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS) William Beausang
DFHERIS Mary McGarry
DFHERIS Stephanie O’Brien

National Apprenticeship Council Membership

Name Position Organisation
Pat O'Doherty Council Chairman ESB Chief Executive
Eamon Devoy Council Members Irish Council of Trade Unions (ICTU)
Sandra Guilfoyle Council Members Jones Engineering
Patricia King Council Members Irish Council of Trade Unions (ICTU)
Natasha Kinsella Council Members Regional Skills (Dublin)
Dr Bryan Maguire Council Members Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI)
Claire McGee Council Members Irish Business and Employer Confederation (IBEC)
Tommy Moloney Council Members G&T Crampton
Dr Jim Murray Council Members Technological Higher Education Association (THEA)
Martin O'Brien Council Members Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI)
Sarah Miley Council Members DFHERIS
Noreen O'Hare Council Members Microsoft Ireland
Dr Vivienne Patterson Council Members Higher Education Authority (HEA)
Dr Mary-Liz Trant Council Members SOLAS

The Regional Skills Fora bring people together at local and regional level, to identify, interrogate and validate skills needs, and to ensure that employers / enterprise are linked to the right places, to get responses they need. Membership of the nine Regional Skills Fora is regionally focussed, bringing together key stakeholders in both the public and private sector. Each of the Fora is composed in such a way as best meets the needs of the specific region. Full details of membership appended in tabular format.

The National Training Fund Advisory Group is a permanent resourced structure to optimise enterprise engagement on NTF priorities. It is chaired by Mr Liam Ryan, SAP SSC (Ireland) Ltd and its individual members were nominated by the relevant employer representative bodies and agencies. Full details of membership appended in tabular format.

The Apprenticeship Council has completed its role in the expansion of apprenticeships from the initial 26 craft apprenticeships to a current total of 62 apprenticeship programmes with 18 additional apprenticeship in development at the current time. The former membership of the Council is appended in tabular format. Under the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 the existing role of the Council will be subsumed into the National Apprenticeship Alliance (NAA) which will advise the new National Apprenticeship Office on the delivery of the Action Plan over the coming period. The makeup of the NAA is under consideration at the current time. It will include a balanced membership from enterprise, the education and training sector, learner representation and social partners.

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