Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science, Sean Haughey, has announced a new inter-departmental committee with responsibility to implement the National Skills Strategy by the end of March this year. Minister Haughey will chair the committee, made up of a number of senior officials from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the Department of Education and Science;

Speaking of the announcement, the Minister said: ‘the implementation of the National Skills Strategy is becoming ever more pressing and I am keen that this inter-departmental committee will formulate a solid framework for a concerted response to achieving the targets set out in the report’s recommendations. The committee will, for the first time, bring together all the key agencies responsible for adult learning and training and enable us to develop an integrated implementation plan for the upskilling of our workforce. Following this, I expect the committee to meet regularly to monitor progress.’

The National Skills Strategy sets an overall objective of upskilling half a million people by 2020 and Minister Haughey insists that every effort must be made to ensure that such a challenge can be met.

Speaking of the committee, Minister Haughey said: ‘I am determined that this committee will have a strong and hands-on role and we will certainly not shirk from any challenge. The balance of skills demanded from the workforce is changing and it is important that we respond fully to these changes to facilitate the growth of a knowledge economy and ensure Ireland’s global competitiveness well into the 21st century.’