Helen Keogh
Question:25 Ms Keogh asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the difficulties, if any, being experienced by multinational companies based in Ireland on the recruitment of experienced staff. [7658/96]
Written Answers. - Labour Force Skills.
The availability and quality of skills of our labour force is one of the key competitive advantages we have in attracting inward investment. It has a central influence on investment and location decisions of overseas companies. It is imperative that we maintain this competitive advantage.
In the light of the pace of technological change, and difficulties which accordingly arise in making accurate and timely forecasts of manpower needs, skill shortages can develop. At present, for example, there are worldwide shortages of software skills and of experienced electronics engineers and technicians. Potential difficulties in these areas in this country have also been identified. My Department is taking steps, in conjunction with the Department of Education, to ensure that the future needs of industry for these types of skills will be met through the universities and the regional technical colleges.
Another area where the availability of suitably qualified workers is becoming an issue is that of telemarketing and technical and customer support. This is a business which has grown quickly in Ireland over the past three years, drawing on foreign language resources which had previously been under-utilised in terms of occupational outlets. With further substantial growth anticipated in this business over the next few years, it is important that language skills continue to be available to meet projected requirements. Accordingly, my Department is in discussion with FÁS to ensure that required foreign language skills are available in the short term and with the Department of Education in regard to longer-term language training policies.
My Department has identified the area of emerging skills shortages in industry as a major strategic issue to be tackled. In co-operation with the industrial development and education and training authorities, it is actively involved in both the identification of emerging and current skill shortages and in making provision to address them. This is being done in the context of a broadly based review of the short and long-term skill needs and the training and education requirements of the industry and services sectors.
The issues of meeting future occupational skill needs will also be dealt with in the White Paper on Human Resource Development.