Naoise Ó Cearúil (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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949. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to address the skills gap in the advanced manufacturing sector nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34314/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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I’m conscious of the need to support the transition of the manufacturing sector into advanced manufacturing. Robotics, automation, and AI can substantially enhance the competitiveness and sustainability of our Small and Medium Size Enterprises and our multinationals.

The Government is committed to strengthening the ecosystem of supports for businesses. In particular, we are committed to supporting their digital transformation. Our ability to ensure that our workforce has the right skills to avail of the opportunities presented by digital transformation is a key enabler of the sustainability of our businesses and of Ireland’s continued economic stability.

The recently launched All-Island Industry 4.0 Future Skills Report points to a number of strategic recommendations to drive the skills agenda forward in the advanced manufacturing sector. My Department and our agencies are already working to address many of the issues identified.

Working in collaboration with enterprise to ensure our skills offerings meet current and emerging industry needs, continuing to prioritise investment in areas of critical skills needs, and ensuring that learning opportunities are flexible and accessible continue to be key tenets of my approach to the development of our human capital.