Vol. 563 No. 4
164 Mr. Naughten asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will review the new work permit regulations to alleviate the difficulty in recruiting mechanics; if her attention has been drawn to the shortage of such staff in Ireland and the UK and to the fall in the number of apprenticeships in this area; the action she is taking to address this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7915/03]
FÁS and Forfás have recently published, on behalf of the expert group on future skills needs, the results of the national survey of vacancies in the private non-agricultural sector 2001-02. This survey was conducted by the ESRI in early 2002. It found an estimated 800 vacancies for fitters/mechanics out of a total of 40,000 vacancies. This represents a vacancy rate of about 2.1% and is less than the overall vacancy rate found in the survey of 3%. This survey, therefore, does not bear out a contention that the occupation of fitters-mechanics is particularly subject to shortages.
Out of the total of 47,810 work permit posts registered with FÁS in 2002, just 681, 0.014%, related to the mechanical sector which includes motor car mechanics, motor cycle mechanics and HGV mechanics. This figure does not appear to support the suggestion of an acute shortage in the availability of mechanics.
The recruitment of apprentices is an employer driven process. I am advised that the number of new registrants into the FÁS apprenticeship programme in car mechanics has reduced over the past three years by approximately 20% – from 550 in 2000 to 498 in 2001 and 458 in 2002. However, this reduction is common across FÁS apprenticeship programmes and reflects the labour market environment.
