Ireland: establishment of new National Skills Council

Strengthening skills governance

Demand for VET in Ireland is fast becoming a real resource for enterprise and a ‘go to’ place for lifelong learning. The OECD Skills Strategy Ireland: assessment and recommendations identifies new opportunities and makes key recommendations to secure a balance in skills and foster greater participation in lifelong learning. Ireland needs to strengthen its skills governance and build up a joined-up skills ecosystem. The new National Skills Council was established following the recommendations from the OECD Skills Review. It replaces previous structures of this type.

New National Skills Council 

On 10 July 2024, the Irish Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Patrick O'Donovan, launched the new National Skills Council. This Council will work independently to provide the government with strategic foresight and expert advice in the area of skills development.

Development of the Council 

Lifelong learning is key to meeting the challenges of an ever-changing world of work. VET can meet upskilling and reskilling demands throughout people’s lifetimes and careers. The new Council reflects a demand-led model that will help government to adapt and evolve its policies quickly and in tune with the skill requirements of society and the labour market. A critical new element is the involvement of the community and voluntary sector, which has undergone a transformative shift, becoming a cornerstone in the national strategy for skill development. With its unique capacity to reach diverse and often underserved populations, the sector has been instrumental in delivering tailored training programmes that address local needs and foster inclusive growth.

Significance and labour-market relevance

The membership of the new Council now contains representatives from multinationals, social enterprise, as well as local, family-owned enterprises. This diversity provides a wide range of expertise, first-hand knowledge and a practical understanding of workforce skill needs in terms of the ‘demand’ for skills in the economy and society.

How the Council works

The new Council is supported by a High-Level Skills Implementation Group (HLSIG), bringing the important views, inputs and expertise of the ‘supply’ side and the public sector to drive this key agenda. The HLSIG is composed of representatives from Irish Government Departments and Agencies and is chaired by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Skills. It provides policy expertise and operational support to the National Skills Council as needed.

This innovative and quite revolutionary approach to partnership allows the Irish Government, industry, and social partners to work hand-in-hand to unlock the full potential of the workforce of the future, drive sustainable economic growth and strengthen social cohesion.

The council aims to:

• use intelligence on skills requirements to address emerging skills gap proactively;
• prioritise the skill needs in Ireland; 
• translate intelligence on skill needs into actions prioritised on the basis of likely impact.

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Ireland's National Skills Strategy 2025

OECD Skills Strategy Ireland | OECD

Minister launches revolutionary partnership on skills with the establishment of the new National Skills Council