Chambers Ireland is urging the government to use the excess funds from the National Training Fund to upskill Irish nationals applying for international protection, reports RTE.
The business group claims that the fund has an excess of more than €1.5 billion, and by the end of 2025, that amount may have surpassed €2 billion.
Chambers Ireland announced the launch of a new programme called “Closing Skills Gaps: Intensive Language Training” and stated that the government and opposition parties should treat those who are in Ireland seeking international protection with pragmatism and common sense, reports RTE.
It claimed that providing candidates with rigorous language instruction will increase employment rates and pay.
Additionally, it would assist in addressing the skills gap that companies are facing.
“Our members are struggling to find people to work as our country has been in full employment for years – 95,000 people joined the workforce in Ireland last year and the unemployment rate has remained flat,” said Chambers Ireland Chief Executive Ian Talbot, reports RTE.
“Meanwhile tens of thousands of people are excluded from the workforce because of poor English language skills – there’s a common-sense approach which helps these people become independent, helps employers find new staff, and takes pressure off government finances at no cost to the state,” he added, reports RTE.
Tell us your thoughts in the Facebook post and share this with your friends.