Mid-West interest in Brexit event

The Tánaiste and Minister for Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation, Frances Fitzgerald, along with Minister for Education & Skills, Richard Bruton, have today (Monday) hosted a joint stakeholder dialogue on “Enterprise Skills Needs and Brexit” in the Aviva in Dublin.

This event is part of the Government’s ongoing dialogue with stakeholders in relation to the impacts of the UK’s decision to leave the EU. It provides an opportunity to hear the voices of those affected by Brexit, both directly and through representative groups. The event is of considerable interest to Mid-West businesses and industries that are heavily dependent on links with the UK.

Noting that action to improve the skills base represents one of the most practical and effective domestic responses to Brexit, the Tánaiste said “Government is well prepared for the negotiations around the UK exit from the EU but we need to be ready on all fronts to deal with the implications of Brexit and the skills area is no exception. The availability of qualified people with work ready skills and talent is the leading source of competitive advantage and key to competitiveness, innovation and growth. Indeed, our ability to upskill and reskill our workforce will help both employees and firms to adapt to the challenges posed by Brexit and to thrive in the economy and society of the future”.

Minister Bruton said, “Brexit will pose a significant challenge to both our foreign owned and domestic enterprise base. It will be our capacity to deliver talent that will keep the most ambitious companies in the world picking Ireland as a place to do business, and ensure that our own indigenous enterprises will continue to innovate, grow jobs and win new markets. Through the Action Plan for Education, which aims to make the Irish education and training service the best in Europe, we will deliver a “Step-change” in the development of critical skills, knowledge and competences. This stakeholder consultation event today builds on the sectoral dialogues that my Department has already convened with stakeholders in the Higher Education and Research, Further Education and Training and schools sectors.”