Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 June 2023
393. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the extent to which he continues to research future requirements in the education sector with a view to ensuring an adequate supply of graduates throughout; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26995/23]
View answer394. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the most obvious likely shortages of graduates in the future to meet the demands for the academic sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26996/23]
View answer395. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the most obvious likely shortages of graduates in the future to meet the demands for the technical sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26997/23]
View answer396. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the extent to which he is satisfied that adequate third and fourth level places remain available to meet the demands of the academic and technical sectors in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26998/23]
View answer398. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the extent to which adequate third level places remain available within the academic sector in order to meet the current and expected demand in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27000/23]
View answer401. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the degree to which he expects science to play an increased role in the higher education sector, with particular reference to ensuring an adequate number of graduates to meet the demands of the workplace; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27003/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 393, 394, 395, 396, 398 and 401 together.
One of my goals as Minister is to ensure that potential learners have access to the educational pathways that allow them reach their potential in a way that meets the very broad and rapidly changing needs of our labour force, the economy and society. It is therefore my objective to ensure that capacity continues to build in the tertiary education sector and that there is access into either further or higher education for each person who wishes to pursue educational options at third-level.
My Department continues to prioritise strengthening our skills ecosystem to ensure it has the agility and flexibility to adapt to changing priorities in the skills and workforce development landscape, including increasingly rapid, technologically driven changes in the world of work. This focus is underpinned by the detailed and comprehensive OECD Report on Ireland's Skills Strategy published on 9th May.
Bodies such as SOLAS's Skills and Labour Market Research Unit and the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment have a key role in assessing and forecasting for the skills and talent needs in an economy being transformed by digitisation and the decarbonisation imperative. The analysis which they carry out is central to informing responsive programme planning across the tertiary system; and flexible and innovative responses to changes in the world of work, such as the Human Capital Initiative (HCI) and Springboard+.
This agility and flexibility is further underscored by responsiveness to priority industry and enterprise workforce needs under key policy initiatives such as, for example; the Action Plan for Apprenticeship; Funding the Future; the Green Skills for FET Roadmap; and the National Digital Strategy Harnessing Digital.
Ireland's success in ensuring that those with qualifications from the tertiary system are meeting the economy's skills needs are evidenced by the results of the Higher Education Authority's national Graduate Outcomes Survey which shows that overall 81.9% of graduates in 2021 were in employment nine months after graduation. It will be a priority to ensure a continued high level of responsiveness by the tertiary education system to the rapid pace of technological change, including in particular the expected substantial impact of AI on the workforce.
My Department will continue to advance efforts to ensure that Ireland offers learning opportunities to all who wish to pursue them, and produces the graduates the workforce needs with the skills that our economy and society require.
