Skills Shortages

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 November 2012

Tuesday, 20 November 2012

Questions (117, 268)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

117. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he is satisfied with the progress made towards meeting the educational skills requirement of industry in the future with particular reference to the high-skill requirements of the modern industrial sector; if any particular skill shortages have been specifically identified; the extent to which the educational sector is in a position to meet such requirements in the short and medium term; if he has had discussions with second and third level institutions in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51329/12]

Bernard Durkan

Question:

268. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he and his Department have monitored the various skill requirements of industry now and in the future; if he is satisfied that such requirements will be met in full in the short, medium and long term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51581/12]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 117 and 268 together.

The Expert Group on Future Skills Needs, funded by my Department, plays a key role in advising on future skills needs. Its research provides a valuable input to the development of course curricula and has also informed the development of new competitive funding models of provision to address emerging skills needs.

More than 10,000 higher education places are being provided in areas of identified skills need under the Springboard programme and 6,500 places are being rolled out under the new Labour Market Education and Training Fund. In addition, the joint Government-Industry ICT Action Plan, which has been developed as a direct response to identified ICT skills shortages, contains a comprehensive range of measures to build the domestic supply of ICT graduates, including through the roll out of over 800 places on graduate skills conversion courses from March 2012. A roll-out of a second phase of the conversion courses is scheduled for early 2013.