Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 10 Mar 1992

Vol. 417 No. 1

Written Answers. - Manpower and Training Needs.

William Cotter

Ceist:

70 Mr. Cotter asked the Minister for Labour if, in view of the Culliton report, which highlights a skills shortage in Ireland, he will outline his proposals to deal with this shortage; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Peter Barry

Ceist:

347 Mr. Barry asked the Minister for Labour if, following on the report of the Review of the Industrial Policy, research is being undertaken with a view to formulating industry-related training programmes and to identify the skills required by those preparing to enter the workforce.

Minister for Labour (Mr. Cowen)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 70 and 347 together.

FÁS have given a high priority to identifying the manpower and training needs of industry. In this connection, a number of major research projects are currently being undertaken.

The reference in the Industrial Policy Review Group is to a skills "gap" defined as the gap "which exists between skill levels in firms in Ireland and those of best practice firms in competitor countries." In this connection, the group also concluded that "training for those at work is also deficient." The group recognised that comparatively few short term skills shortages are reported by industrialists.

Closing the skills "gap" is a more difficult task then correcting for a skills shortage. It will involve efforts by our education and training authorities and, particularly, employers. In this connection, a start has been made with the move to a standards based apprenticeship system, the Year of the Manager campaign to improve the awareness by industry of the value of management development and the job training scheme which provides for training on employers' premises.

Further measures to narrow the skills gap are being considered in the context of the White Paper on Manpower Policy. I would, however, emphasise the central role of employers in continually ungrading the skills of their employees.