asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Tourism the steps being taken to ensure that the IDA, the HEA, the IIRS and other state agencies are co-ordinating their efforts to ensure that Irish industry is supplied with adequate creative scientific technological expertise to guarantee the survival of Irish industry.
Written Answers. - Scientific and Technological Expertise
178.
The objective of co-ordinating the measures being taken by the organisations mentioned and others engaged in this area to ensure an adequate supply of scientific and technological expertise to meet the needs of Irish industry is achieved in the main by the Manpower Consultative Committee.
This committee, under the chairmanship of the Minister for Labour and the Public Service, are representative of industry, trade unions, Government Departments and State-sponsored agencies. They co-ordinate the measures being taken to alleviate the imbalance between supply of and demand for skilled manpower not only in the matter of education and training but also in the recruitment and resettlement of skilled workers returning from abroad.