asked the Minister for Labour the action he has taken to ensure that a labour force with the necessary skills will be available should oil and gas be found in commercial quantities off the Irish coasts.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Oil and Gas Labour Force.
11.
The manpower and training implications of off-shore oil and gas finds have been under examination by the inter-departmental working party which was set up in May, 1975. I understand that the first report of the working party is almost ready and will be submitted to me in the very near future. I expect that the report will deal with matters referred to in the Deputy's question in respect of the gas already discovered and the exploration programmes to be undertaken in 1976 and later years.
Does the Minister accept that our benefits will be in relation to how well equipped we are to meet the requirements of the industry? Has the Minister had an on-the-spot assessment made in Scotland where they had to face the same problem?
It is up to the working party set up between the Departments to ensure that in relation to any new skills required we will have the training facilities for them and to see that we have those training arrangements put in train in sufficient time to ensure that Irish labour as well as Irish capital will get the utmost benefit out of the oil and gas finds off our coast. We will have the report shortly and we will then take action.
In view of the fact that the contracts for oil rigs were given to foreign industrialists, can we accept that the same line will be followed here, that we will have foreigners carrying on the labour services as well?
This is a very large question. The exploitation of our natural resources, as the Deputy knows, is under the Department of Industry and Commerce. The Minister for Industry and Commerce, with the agreement of the Government, has charted our course, which is a partnership between the State and enterprise, preferably from native sources but if necessary from sources abroad, the objective being to get the greatest return possible for the Irish taxpayer and the State. In the area of employment we are following a similar pattern to ensure that any new jobs which will result from this new and exciting development will result in additional Irish workers getting jobs, from the lowest to the topmost management jobs arising from that development. I would refer the Deputy to section 57 of the Department of Industry and Commerce's exclusive off-shore licensing terms. Section 57 states that the Minister for Industry and Commerce may after consultation with the Minister for Labour specify requirements in regard to procedures for the recruitment of personnel by the licensee. It will be our intention to ensure that Irish workers will be the main beneficiaries in terms of employment.
Has the Minister had consultations with the Cork Vocational Education Committee on the setting up of educational facilities for the people who will be involved in the oil and gas industries, particularly at Kinsale?
The inter-departmental working party have been in touch with all educational bodies that might be concerned in this area and their report will state the results of those contracts.
Are AnCO equipped to handle that type of training programme? Have they recruited the necessary skills for that type of instruction?
Managerial expertise and petroleum engineers are among the skills that will be required. In that field, at the moment we have a training lack because we do not have in our universities any petroleum engineering courses. There is the possibility of a shortage of riggers and other grades of that kind but I am confident we can fulfil that need from home sources provided we get the training programmes going as quickly as possible. There are other grades of skills which would fall without the competence of AnCO but of which this working party will give us sufficient advance warning.
I asked the Department of Industry and Commerce about this two years ago.