Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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271. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the OECD review of Ireland’s skills planning and development will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10663/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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In line with commitments in the National Economic Recovery Plan, my Department has undertaken the OECD’s Ireland Skills Strategy Review that is on track to be completed in 2023.

The review focuses on an examination of National Skills Strategy and Ireland’s skills approaches in order to ensure that we have a solid foundation on which to build our competitiveness and support economic and social sustainability into the future. 

There are four stages:

1. Scoping – Mapping and Engagement (Q4 2021 – Q1 2022 - complete)

2. Assessment - (Q2 2022 – complete);

3. Recommendations – (Q3-Q1 2023 – nearing completion); 

4. Publication of Final Report – (Q2 2023).

We are currently in the final stages of the review and on track to conclude with the Final Report expected to be published in May 2023.

Consultations with the OECD and key stakeholders developed four priority areas for the OECD’s Ireland Skills Strategy Review. The priority areas act as an overarching guiding framework for the project:

1. Securing balance in skills through a responsive and diversified supply of skills - assessing how responsiveness of the tertiary education system to current and future labour market needs could be improved and how to effectively respond to the increased demand for higher-level skills, including by analysing talent pipelines, and reviewing policies to attract and retain foreign talent.

2. Fostering greater participation in lifelong learning in and outside of the workplace – assessing improved access to lifelong learning opportunities for all adults, raising awareness of the benefits of learning and embedding lifelong learning as a core part of business activities.

3. Leveraging skills to drive innovation and strengthen the performance of firms– examining how Ireland’s skills strategies, policies and architecture are being leveraged for innovation and firms’ performance, including through innovation, research and development, and via linkages between education and training providers, research institutes, and business.

4. Strengthening the governance across a joined up skills ecosystem – ensuring that Ireland’s skills entities have effective governance structures and are joined up, responsive and agile.