Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 22 Nov 2000

Vol. 526 No. 4

Written Answers. - Job Vacancies.

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

194 Mr. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the specific industries most in need of unskilled personnel and skilled personnel at present; the plans she has to assist in the meeting of this requirement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27042/00]

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

Table 1 below contains a detailed breakdown of the number and percentage of vacancies by occupational group (ranked in order of the percentage of vacancies to employment), taken from the ESRI's national survey of private sector vacancies, 1998. It shows that there were 53,000 vacancies, equivalent to 6% of the vacancy-to-employment ratio at the time of the survey in autumn 1998. This table indicates that the greatest proportionate vacancies were among computer engineers and professionals and associate professionals. Another very significant category of vacancy was skilled maintenance and production workers, craftspersons.

More recently, Forfás and FÁS commissioned the ESRI to conduct a further survey of employers' vacancies in late 1999 and early 2000. The survey has been completed but only provisional, broad, results are yet available. These show that the percentage of firms with vacancies has risen to 31% while the total number of vacancies has risen to 79,600. This represents 6.5% of total employment. Table 2 below presents broad aggregated results from the latest survey. It shows the two areas with the greatest percentage vacancy levels are technicians and skilled craft workers. However, there are also many vacancies at operative level and in services occupations.

Table 1: Number and Percentage of Vacancies by Occupational Group

Occupational Group	Vacancies	% Vacancies/Employment
Computer Associate Professionals	1,400	16
Computer Professionals	1,600	15
Engineering Professionals	1,700	11
Engineering Associate Professionals	1,500	11
Science Associate Professionals	700	11
Security	900	11
Skilled MaintenanceProduction	8,100	9
Personal Services	4,300	8
Science Professionals	200	7
Sales	7,900	7
Labourers	3,500	5
Occupational Group	Vacancies	% Vacancies/Employment
Transport, Communications	3,100	5
Production Operatives	8,400	5
Clerical, Secretarial	6,800	5
Other Professional	800	3
Other Assoc. Professionals	700	2
Managers, Proprietors	1,900	2
Total	53,600	6

Source: National Survey of Vacancies in the Private Non-Agricultural Sector 1998, ESRI 1999.

Table 2: Vacancies by Main Type

	No.	Vacancy Rate (%)
Managerial	2,800	2
Professional	7,800	9
Technician	5,000	11
Clerical	10,300	6
Skilled Craft	14,600	11
Operatives	19,100	5
Services	20,800	8

I have provided today to the House, in response to parliamentary questions on skills and labour shortages, details of the Government's strategic approach including the range of fiscal and structural labour market policies aimed at ensuring an adequate supply of appropriately skilled labour to meet the demands of the economy.