Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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721. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the establishment of an electric mobility capability centre in Mullingar. [4346/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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Green Skills are crucial for achieving the ambitious climate targets outlined in the Government's Climate Action Plan and for facilitating the Green Transition. These skills encompass everything from developing transferable green skills for everyday life to meeting the specific requirements of emerging green sectors, such as electric vehicles (EVs).

Given the new and emerging technologies involved, the skills needed for electric vehicle maintenance include creating opportunities for upskilling and reskilling, as well as integrating EV skills into existing motor mechanic apprenticeship programs.

In November 2023 the first step towards establishing an eMobility Capability Centre was taken with the launch of a Project Office within Longford Westmeath ETB. This office is responsible for advancing the project in a planned and phased manner. The Office has commissioned a technical feasibility study to identify all the necessary requirements for developing such a centre. The study will be completed by Q2 2025, and its results will inform future decisions by SOLAS and the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science regarding e-mobility training.

In parallel, SOLAS is actively exploring how e-mobility skills can be most effectively delivered by the Further Education and Training sector. My Department chairs a skills oversight group, which includes industry representatives, to advance this initiative. In addition, SOLAS has been reviewing and redeveloping motor-related apprenticeship programmes to include EV modules.