Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 June 2023
443. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the funding provided for the 'skills for better business' initiative in 2022; and the estimated cost of increasing that funding by 5%, 10%, 25% and 50%, in tabular form. [27508/23]
View answer(A) Budget Allocation for Skills for Better Business
|
- |
Current |
Capital |
Total |
|
2023 |
€62,000 |
Nil |
€62,000 |
(B) Hypothetical Cost of Increasing the Budget for Skills for Better Business
|
Increase % |
Additional |
New Total |
|
|
+5% |
€3,100 |
€65,100 |
|
|
+10% |
€6,200 |
€68,200 |
|
|
+25% |
€15,500 |
€77,500 |
|
|
+50% |
€31,000 |
€93,000 |
The tables above show (A) the current budget allocation for Skills for Better Business for 2023 and (B) calculations of what four specific hypothetical increases to that budget would amount to.
Skills for Better Business was launched on 30th November. It is a two-part initiative aimed at assisting SME owners and managers across Ireland. It comprises an Online Tool for management skills assessment, complemented by a sign-posting resource providing quick contact information for management education and training.
The Online Tool is designed to make it easy for time-poor SME owners and managers to carry out an initial assessment of their own management skills. Once they complete the questionnaire, they receive a short report detailing where they may need to focus. They are then directed to the Skills for Better Business: Courses and Contacts pages on the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment’s website to find a training or education provider to support them in the next steps of their journey.
The 14 project partners involved in delivering Skills for Better Business are: Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Skillnet Ireland; Enterprise Ireland; SOLAS; the Small Firms Association (SFA); ISME; the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs); the Regional Skills Fora; the Higher Education Authority (HEA); the Higher Education Colleges Association (HECA); Chambers Ireland; Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI); the Irish Universities Association (IUA); and the Technological Higher Education Association (THEA).
The direct cost of the Online Tool, at €60,300, is only a small part of the resource input into the project. Different sub-groups of the 14 partners worked on the Online Tool, the Courses & Contacts pages, and the Comms Strategy for the project. The contribution in time and expertise from all involved was very substantial throughout. The project is continuing in a similar manner in 2023, the focus being to maintain and promote the website on which the online tool is located.
Skills for Better Business is currently being promoted by the project partners, led by my Department. It is important that the message gets out to SME owners and managers across Ireland that Skills for Better Business is now launched and its resources are available. We want SMEs to make use of the Online Tool and engage with management education and training providers to identify the courses they need to improve their management skills and practices.
