Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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565. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide an update on actions JT/24/1 and JT/24/2 under the Climate Action Plan 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38837/24]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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Green skills are essential for meeting the ambitious climate targets set out by the Government in the Climate Action Plan and for the green transition. My Department has been working with SOLAS and the HEA to develop the green skills required to achieve the targets laid out in Actions JT/24/1 and JT/24/2. I am pleased to confirm that both these actions have been completed as of Q2 this year.

A national suite of green skills programmes has been developed by SOLAS in collaboration with enterprise partners in areas such as sustainability awareness and resource efficiency. Green skills modules developing transversal and specific green skills are available to all FET learners with new green skills micro-qualifications being rolled out by all 16 Education and Training Boards. These include:- A Level 4 (Level 3 EQF) micro-qualification in Environmental Sustainability Awareness- A Level 5 (Level 4 EQF) micro-qualification in Environmental Sustainability in the Workplace, and- A general introduction to green skills module developed in partnership with SEAI, and open to all learners online via the eCollege portal.

New additions to the green suite include:- Level 5 (Level 4 EQF) Lean Practice for Sustainable Business- Level 5 (Level 4 EQF) Resource Efficiency for a Sustainable Workplace- Level 6 (Level 5 EQF) The Circular Economy in the Workplace- Level 5 (Level 4 EQF) Sustainable Supply Chain Procurement

There were 1,413 total enrolments in the Green FET micro-qualifications (L4 & L5) in 2023.

A detailed list of Green Skills micro-qualifications is available to view on www.solas.ie/microqualifications/.

In higher education, a total of 1,146 places on green skills-related upskilling and reskilling programmes (at NFQ levels 6-9) were made available in the 2023/24 academic year through Springboard+ and HCI Pillar 1. All of these programmes had flexible modes of delivery (online or blended), bar two of the HCI Pillar 1 programmes which were classroom-based.

Springboard+ 2024 was launched in May 2024 and has 18 courses in green skills and green skills related areas offering 543 places. HCI Pillar 1 has 24 courses in green skills and green skills related areas, offering 657 places.