Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 6 Feb 2001

Vol. 529 No. 4

Written Answers. - Skill Shortages.

John Bruton

Ceist:

46 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will make a statement on the recently published report by the National Economic and Social Forum entitled Alleviating Labour Shortages. [29021/00]

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

I welcome the NESF report on alleviating labour shortages which is both timely and important. A clear focus of the report is on the implementation of policies aimed at augmenting labour supply as a fundamental element in addressing labour shortages. It has made recommendations in several key policy areas in order to ensure effective opportunities for participation in the labour force. Policy areas of particular focus in the report were those of welfare to work, taxation, bridging efforts to enhance access of women and other groups to the labour market and migration. As such there is a very good conceptual framework for developing the key policy orientations in the report.

The Government already has in place a wide range of strategies to meet the labour market challenges of a growing economy. There are many aspects to the policy mix being pursued. Reducing the tax burden on labour and improving the reward from work is a principal feature of the strategy in place. In addition, measures aimed at both increasing the labour supply and upgrading the skills of the workforce, and assisting those at a far remove from the labour market, are key aspects of the current policy mix, and are outlined in detail in the Employment Action Plan 2000. In the current labour market an unprecedented opportunity exists to improve the employment prospects of a wide cross-section of persons including those who are long-term unemployed or others facing significant labour market disadvantage. Overall, therefore, current Government policy is in keeping with the policy thrust outlined in the NESF report.

The Government has arranged for the report to be examined by a number of Departments with responsibility for implementation of the policies which have been the subject of consideration by the NESF. In addition, it has referred the report to the strategy group on employment and unemployment, which is charged with overall policy examination of labour market issues.