Vol. 497 No. 7
38 Mr. Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of times the clothing sector review group has met since its establishment; the progress, if any, to date by the group; the expected date of completion of its work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26066/98]
Since its establishment in February 1998, the policy review group has met on eight occasions. The group was formed to develop and oversee the implementation of a revised strategy for the future of the clothing sector. Since the establishment of the group, a number of supportive initiatives have already been taken including: publication of a clothing industry sectoral study by FÁS; compilation of an up-to-date schedule of agency programmes available to the clothing sector, which has been circulated to companies by the Irish Clothing Manufacturers Federation — ICMF; development of a clothing traineeship project by FÁS and the ICMF; consideration of design requirements of the sector and initiation of discussions with design colleges; provision of funding under the retex programme to the National College of Art and Design for computer-aided design equipment; implementation of a student placement programme by the National College of Art and Design, FÁS and the ICMF; submission of a proposal to include the clothing sector within a new industry-led training networks programme; commissioning of a clothing industry labour shortage study by FÁS; and organisation of a benchmarking study visit to Denmark by the Irish Clothing Manufacturers Federation.
