Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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1991.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the projects supported by the regional skills funds operated by his Department in support of each of the regional skills fora in the past five years and the value of the support in each year; and if he will outline his ambition for further projects in the coming years.[35017/24]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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The National Skills Strategy to 2025 (NSS) provides a framework for skills development to help drive Ireland’s growth, both economically and societally. One of the key elements of the NSS was the development of a new skills architecture, composed of a National Skills Council and nine Regional Skills Fora.

It is important to note that the core function of the Regional Skills Fora is to foster engagement and collaboration, and the Fora achieve this by providing an opportunity for employers and the education and training system to work together to meet the emerging skills needs of their regions. This involves identifying, interrogating and validating skills needs, while acting as an impartial broker to ensure that employers are linked to the right places to get responses they need.

To support the Regional Skills Fora to foster engagement and collaboration my Department, through the National Training Fund, funds the nine Regional Skills Fora Manager posts, as well as the yearly operating costs of the Regional Skills Fora.

Additionally, my Department provided funding from 2018 to 2023 for two digital skills programmes - DigiEco and the Explore Programme. Expenditure for both programmes was as follows:

These programmes concluded in 2023, having been mainstreamed into further education provision.

In line with the 2023 OECD Review of Ireland’s National Skills Strategy, and its recommendation to strengthen skills governance to build a joined-up skills ecosystem, I recently announced reform of the National Skills Council. This reform includes a new Council membership, including a representative of the Regional Skills Fora, thereby ensuring that there is a joined up and coherent approach across the skills ecosystem in order to effectively meet the skills needs of a rapidly changing world.