asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is aware that there is a serious shortage of trained personnel to carry out non-destructive testing in this country; and if, in view of the forthcoming development of off-shore oil and gas reserves, he has any plans to establish a suitable institute for the training of such personnel.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Non-Destructive Testing.
7.
I am aware that there has been a shortage of trained personnel to carry out non-destructive testing in this country. However, in anticipation of offshore industry and because of developments in the petrochemical industry, the Institute for Industrial Research and Standards are making such a service available. Initially, it will be in Dublin and later in Cork. Skilled personnel are being recruited at present and as the needs expand further personnel will be recruited and trained. I do not consider that there is a need to set up a special institute.
Do I understand the Parliamentary Secretary to say on behalf of the Minister by way of reply that the Institute for Industrial Research and Standards will provide an active service rather than provide a service for training personnel for such a service?
That is approximately what I said.
In other words, the institute proposes to enter into this field in competition with private enterprise firms who are already operating in the area?
The institute propose to make this service available if industry wishes to avail of it. It is not, I think, anticipated that the Institute for Industrial Research and Standards will in any way become the major supplier of this service but it is nonetheless necessary in view of the importance of such a service that there would be a State body which is taking an interest in this area.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary not agree that what is lacking and what will become increasingly lacking as the offshore oil situation develops is trained personnel and that it is no solution to the problem for the Institute for Industrial Research and Standards to purport to provide a service and simply make demands on the existing scarce pool of personnel rather than inaugurate some system of training to provide increased personnel either for a service provided by them or for the private enterprise firms who are already operating in this field?
I understand that the institute is prepared to do both. It is prepared to provide the service initially by the recruitment of skilled personnel itself and in due course will undertake the training of unskilled personnel.
The Parliamentary Secretary said the opposite of that a moment ago.
I did not. The Deputy appeared to be suggesting that I had not said that IIRS would provide a direct service and I wished to correct that misunderstanding. They will provide this service but will also in due course provide training which I understand is something that takes some time to complete in this very complex area.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that at present the only agency providing training for this type of personnel is situated abroad and that the real need in this country now and for the future is for a training centre to provide personnel to staff a service, whether that service be provided by private enterprise or by the Institute for Industrial Research and Standards? Would the Parliamentary Secretary accept that the role of the institute in this area should be to provide training for personnel and not to be simply going into the business of providing a service for which trained personnel do not exist?
It is fairly obvious that trained personnel exist somewhere in relation to this matter. It is a question of recruiting the personnel. Some of them come from within the country while others come from outside. As I have indicated, the institute are preparing to engage in the training of personnel as well as in the provision of a service. The Deputy is not correct when he says that there is no private firm within the country providing this service.
I said there was such a firm. My whole point is that there is a private enterprise firm providing this service but that they cannot get trained personnel.
I apologise. As I indicated, the institute are undertaking training.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary accept——
The questions are unduly long on this subject.
——that what is required now in the interest of Irish industry as a whole and in particular in the interest of the development of our offshore oil resources industry is the provision of a training centre within the country for these types of personnel?
This is becoming repetitious.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary ask the Institute for Industrial Research and Standards to concentrate on providing a training centre rather than a service?
Already they are engaging in the preparation of training for the people in this field.
Question No. 8.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 8 together.
We have dealt with No. 7.
I should say, Questions Nos. 8 and 9 together.
Even the Parliamentary Secretary's ability to count has gone haywire.
The Deputy is more concerned with scoring points than with eliciting information. Questions Nos. 7 and 8 together.
Questions Nos. 8 and 9, you ass.