Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 12 May 1999

Vol. 504 No. 5

Written Answers. - Skill Shortages.

Nora Owen

Ceist:

32 Mrs. Owen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the plans, if any, she has to address the serious skills shortages arising in the economy in high, medium and low skills; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12262/99]

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Ms Harney)

The Government is committed to ensuring an adequate skills supply to meet the needs of the economy. In 1997 we established an expert group on future skills needs to identify in a systematic way the skills requirements of different sectors of the economy and to advise on the actions necessary to meet those needs. The expert group's first report was completed in June 1998 and dealt with the software and electronics sectors.

My Department is responding to the expert group's report in a number of ways:

–An additional £3.2 million has been allocated to FÁS in my Departments 1999 Estimate to train an extra 730 people for the electronics and software sectors.

–Enterprise Ireland has established a programme aimed at attracting Irish people abroad back to Ireland to work in the information technology sector.

–Forfás has strengthened its National Skills Awareness Campaign, which is aimed at encouraging second level students to pursue careers in information technology.

–To encourage industry to identify its own training needs, a sum of £3 million is provided in my Department's Estimate this year for a pilot enterprise-led training networks programme.

In addition to the measures being taken by my Department, the Minister for Education and Science recently announced that 5,400 new places will be provided over the next four years in third level education. This extra provision is aimed at addressing skills shortages in the information technology and electronics sectors. The Minister also launched a £250 million education, technology and investment fund in 1997, to meet the short, medium and long-term needs of technology and high-growth oriented firms.

The expert group on future skills needs is currently working on a second report, which will examine skills needs in lower technology and services sectors.