Policy information
How Ireland predicts what skills it needs
From Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
Published on
Last updated on
There are two entities that research Ireland's skills needs:
The Skills and Labour Market Research Unit (SLMRU) is located in SOLAS.
The SLMRU gathers, collects and analyses a range of datasets on skills demand and supply in Ireland. Datasets include:
Each year, the SLMRU produces a report called the National Skills Bulletin. This report summarises the SLMRU’s data on skills demand and supply in Ireland. It also identifies where skills shortages and difficult-to-fill vacancies are happening.
The SLMRU also has a labour market intelligence portal (under ‘LMI’ tab).
The work of the SLMRU:
The SLMRU’s reports also inform the work of:
The Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) is the independent body that advises the Government on the current and future skills needs of the Irish economy. The Secretariat to the EGFSN is located in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. The EGFSN was created in 1997.
The EGFSN is composed of the key skills policy stakeholders in the public sector, as well as representation from the business and trade union communities:
The EGFSN carries out research studies of skills needs, by sector or occupation. These studies involve:
Based on the findings of these studies, the EGFSN recommends how the education and training system, as well as other sources of labour supply, can resolve skills needs.
The skills needs that the EGFSN identifies inform the education and training sector, as well as other skills-supply action by the Government and industry.
The twice-a-year review of the employment permit eligibility lists also uses the EGFSN’s work.