Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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449. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the measures that will be introduced to assist in the recruitment and retention of lorry drivers for the haulage industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47329/25]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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As Minister of State for International & Road Transport, Logistics, Rail & Ports, my Department and I are committed to supporting the road haulage industry.

Ireland’s Road Haulage Strategy 2022-2031 is a 10-year strategy that fulfils a Programme for Government commitment to produce the first-ever government strategy dedicated to the haulage and road freight sector. The strategy focuses on generating efficiencies, improving standards, securing jobs, and helping the road freight sector move to a low-carbon future. A particularly important action arising from this Strategy is the establishment of the Road Freight Forum, a new body that has formalised engagement between the Government Departments, agencies, industry and academia. This forum brings stakeholders together to coordinate the delivery of the strategy.

The Strategy is complemented by the Logistics and Supply Chain Skills Group (LSCSG) Work Programme 2024-2027. Both the Strategy and Work Programme include measures to tackle labour shortages and address skills gaps in this sector.

Ireland has licence exchange agreements for HGV drivers with five countries outside of the European Union/European Economic Area (EEA) – South Korea, Japan, Australia, South Africa and Georgia. The quota for employment permits for HGV drivers outside the EEA was removed in 2021. While recruitment from abroad can help to alleviate the HGV driver shortage in the short-term, it is not the full solution. That is why my Department has introduced longer-term measures to address the driver shortage in a fully sustainable way and encourage people already living in Ireland to consider a career in the supply chain sector.

In recent years, a number of new training and educational opportunities have been developed, including the Transport Operations and Commercial Driver Apprenticeship Scheme, where young people and new entrants can earn as they learn with leading transport businesses, as well as a Logistics and Distribution 1-year traineeship, where participants will be on practical placement in the industry for 12 weeks, in various blocks, over the duration of the year.

Another important educational opportunity is the Professional HGV Training Programme, which is a 7-month course designed to offer a pathway for new entrants into the profession of commercial driving. It is fully funded by the SOLAS Traineeship Scheme and is offered by Education & Training Boards (ETBs) across the country.

A full list of the available educational and training opportunities in the sector can be found in the assets.gov.ie/static/documents/overview-of-existing-education-and-training-provisions-0ce4736a-cb4b-4bba-aec7-b84228c.pdf document, which is continuously being updated and can be found on the gov.ie/LSCSG webpage. A full list of publications by the LSCSG can be found at www.gov.ie/en/department-of-transport/publications/logistics-and-supply-chain-skills-group-publications/

The Logistics and Supply Chain Skills Group (LSCSG) was established in 2019 to support the promotion of careers, skills development and sustainable employment in the logistics and supply chain sectors in Ireland. The Group includes relevant Government Departments, education and training providers and industry representatives. It is currently chaired by my Department. The LSCSG Work Programme 2024-2027 contains 12 priority actions to support the promotion of careers, education and skills development, and sustainable employment in logistics and supply chain activities and can be viewed www.flipsnack.com/FF5BA9DD75E/lscsg-work-programme-2024-2027-final/full-view.html

In March 2023 my Department launched the first ever Logistics and Supply Chain Skills Week (Logistics Week), to highlight career and educational opportunities in the sector. This week long initiative has become an annual opportunity to continue to promote careers in this sector and planning is underway for the fourth iteration to be held from 16 to 23 April 2026.

Since 2024 Logistics and Supply Chain Skills Week has included the LogisTYcs Skills Expo which is designed specifically for Transition Year (TY) students. The second LogisTYcs Skills Expo was held on Thursday 3 April 2025, where I personally attended and met with TY students from across the country who got the opportunity to engage with potential future employers from the logistics and supply chain industry, as well as educational providers. A third LogisTYcs Skills Expo is in the planning for 2026.