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Labour Market

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 May 2022

Thursday, 19 May 2022

Ceisteanna (189)

Denis Naughten

Ceist:

189. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps which his Department is taking to address labour shortages within sectors of the economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25658/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The period from early 2020 was a difficult one for many businesses, and some sectors were more severely impacted by public health restrictions and for a more prolonged period. Throughout this period my Department and its enterprise agencies engaged with and supported businesses, and as we have emerged from the pandemic there has been a recovery in employment across the economy.

In its ongoing engagement with enterprise, my Department and its agencies have nevertheless been made aware of labour shortages in certain sectors. My Department has worked to signpost businesses towards the training and labour market activation programmes and supports, available through the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, its agencies, and the Department of Social Protection, in order to address their staffing needs.

Some of these shortfalls are due to pre-existing structural shifts, which have been accelerated by the impact of the pandemic. The digital and green transitions, and their associated behavioural changes, are altering the economy and leading to permanent changes in our labour market and business models. Not all jobs will return as we recover from the pandemic, while embracing these transitions will open up substantial new employment opportunities, as well as potential skills mismatches as these opportunities initially emerge.

The Government’s Economic Recovery Plan commits to supporting the transition of Ireland’s economy and workforce to the new digital and green economies. This goal will be realised through ongoing support for people in securing and remaining in sustainable and quality employment, in areas of identified skills needs for business. This will be achieved in particular through the combination of 50,000 upskilling and reskilling opportunities set out in the Recovery Plan and increased labour market activation interventions through the Government’s Pathways to Work 2021-2025 strategy.

This jobs led recovery will be supported through creating the right environment for employment creation, through measures to boost the resilience, agility, competitiveness and innovation of enterprises across the economy. In order to support these objectives, Ireland’s economic migration policy also continues to accommodate the arrival of non-EEA nationals to fill skills and labour gaps in the short to medium term.

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