Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 October 2017
162. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on whether a deficit of construction skills is holding back construction activity especially on the residential side; and his further views on whether the forecasts for new apprenticeship registrations in the DEIS action plan to expand new apprenticeships will be sufficient to meet labour demand to expand housing supply to 43,000 homes per annum by 2020. [45321/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware apprenticeship is a demand driven alternate educational and training programme and the allocation of provision is determined by the skill demands of employers.
SOLAS, through its Skills and Labour Market and Research Unit (SLMRU) and its Apprenticeship Services Unit, regularly conducts forecasts of apprenticeship requirements. The methodology takes account of output forecasts, in money terms, for various segments of the construction industry, the CSO’s Quarterly National Household Survey (QNHS) and the relationship between apprentice intake and employment trends in the sectors. While labour market trends remain difficult to predict in a rapidly changing labour market, SOLAS is satisfied there is sufficient provision in place, at this juncture, to meet both current and future demands from the construction sector.
In 2016, annual intake in construction apprenticeships accounted for 62% of total intake in craft-based apprenticeships and is projected to account for 70% of total intake of all trades in 2020. I understand from SOLAS that strong growth in new recruitment is expected to materialise in the period reflecting robust construction activity, particularly in new house building. This is particularly the case for ‘wet trades’ such as bricklayers, plasterers, painters and decorators for which the numbers remain in double-digits.
