Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 May 2015
227. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the role and priorities of Fáilte Ireland regarding the development of skillsets in the tourism industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18939/15]
View answer228. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has a strategy to help incentivise and promote careers in the hospitality and catering sectors; if he is aware that such careers are particularly important in peripheral and rural areas where other career options may be limited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18940/15]
View answer229. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to reinstate the programme of skills courses with Fáilte Ireland for persons who wish to enter the hotel, catering and tourism industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18942/15]
View answer230. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the measures in place regarding the training of persons for the hospitality and craft sectors; his plans regarding the advancement of this sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18944/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 227 to 230, inclusive, together.
Under the National Tourism Development Authority Act 2003, Fáilte Ireland is responsible for supporting tourism enterprises and for encouraging, promoting and supporting the recruitment, training, and education and development of persons for the purposes of employment in connection with the tourism industry. While the hospitality and catering sectors are of course relevant to the tourism industry, they are broader than tourism alone and Fáilte Ireland's focus is on the needs of the tourism industry.
Accordingly, for further operational detail on Fáilte Ireland's role and priorities in this regard, as well as training programmes and business supports available, I have referred the Deputy's questions to Fáilte Ireland for direct reply.
The future development of the sector will also be guided by the work of the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs and its detailed assessment of the workforce skills and competency requirements for the Irish hospitality sector. In this regard, a balance must be struck between direct enterprise support, entry level training and advanced/professional training. SOLAS, employers, further and higher education providers - particularly the Education and Training Boards (ETBs) - and Fáilte Ireland all have complementary roles to play in that regard.
The Government's new Tourism Policy Statement recognises that the sector is an essential component of Ireland's employment base and that its jobs are geographically dispersed and outlining policy objectives to strengthen the capacity of people working in the sector. I will soon be announcing a new Tourism Leadership Group, which will prepare a detailed Tourism Action Plan to implement these policy proposals. All matters relevant to ensuring that the industry has the requisite skills to ensure we achieve our ambitious growth targets will be considered as part of this work.
