Vol. 477 No. 7
88 Mr. Martin asked the Minister for the Environment if he has consulted with the Department of Education and the Department of Transport, Energy and Communications in relation to the phasing of infrastructural and building programmes under the operational programmes for 1994-99; and if he has satisfied himself that there is sufficient Irish manpower capacity to undertake the programmes. [10328/97]
The structures under which EU co-financed programmes are implemented include a series of monitoring committees, both for the Community Support Framework generally and for individual operational programmes and Community Initiatives. These committees meet on an ongoing basis, and provide a forum for consultation between representatives of various organisations and interest groups, including Government Departments.
Direct employment in the construction industry has increased from 71,000 in April 1993 to 86,000 in April 1996 and is expected to reach 90,000 this month. I understand that there are localised shortages of skilled labour in certain trades — notably blocklaying and bricklaying. As an immediate measure, the Construction Industry Federation has advertised in newspapers in the United Kingdom, and with some success, encouraging migrant Irish building workers to return and take up employment here. As regards the medium term, FÁS has developed a dynamic manpower forecasting model for the construction industry, indicating potential shortages, by the year 2000, of bricklayers, plumbers, gas fitters and other fitters, and electricians. The success of the CIF initiative in encouraging the return of migrant Irish workers would mitigate the forecasted potential manpower shortages. Training and education authorities can be expected to use the FÁS forecasts to take pro-active measures to bridge the gap between projected demand and supply of skilled building workers.
