Effective Utilisation of Professional Skills of Nurses and Midwives

The Working Group recommends that the grade of Health Care Assistant/Maternity Health Care Assistant be introduced as a member of the healthcare team to assist and support the nursing and midwifery function. Chapter two of the report explores the complementary roles of health care assistants and nurses and midwives. Chapter three examines issues related to delegation and integration of the health care assistant to the care team. Chapter four makes recommendations related to the education and training of health care assistants. The Working Groupâ?Ts recommendations are underpinned by a comprehensive literature review Download the Report here

Cognitive behavioural skills for practice a model for delivery in the Irish mental health service.

This publication outlines a model of delivery for introductory level Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) training in the Mental Health Service, HSE South (Carlow, Kilkenny, South Tipperary, Waterford, Wexford). This model has proved useful in guiding the development of four introductory programmes during 2009 and 2010. As a result of this experience, we have amended and updated our programme delivery strategies. We see this process as organic and ever changing, thus these reflections are a snap shot of our current thinking which we have no doubt will evolve as we proceed with future programmes. This booklet will act as a guide for our upcoming programmes in 2010 and 2011 and we believe it may also offer guidance to others who will be involved in the delivery of CBT training within the Irish Mental Health Service.This resource was contributed by The National Documentation Centre on Drug Use.

Addressing High Level ICT Skills Recruitment Needs

Ireland is a successful major centre for ICT operations with ten of the top ICT companies in the world having substantial operations here. The large talent pool of ICT professionals that exists here is valuable both for foreign-owned and Irish companies. The cluster of internationally renowned firms and Irish companies offer a range of attractive career opportunities for professionals. A range of skills recruitment difficulties have been raised through the work of the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN), specifically the immediate issue of high-level ICT skills within both the ICT sector and from other sectors such as international financial services, banking and business services. Forfs, with the support of IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland, engaged in discussions with a selected range of foreign–owned and Irish companies employing approximately 30,000 employees to establish the nature of positions involved, the reasons for recruitment difficulties and to identify measures to help address them. Consultations were also held with key stakeholders including IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, ICT Ireland, Software Ireland, IT@Cork, Engineers Ireland and Dublin Chambers of Commerce. Discussions were held with the heads of the computing departments of all Universities and Institutes of Technology at a meeting chaired by the Higher Education Authority. An in-depth analysis of third-level ICT supply statistics and trends was undertaken to inform the research.

HEA Report to the Minister for Education and Skills on Irish higher education

This report to the Minister for Education and Skills from the Higher Education Authority is the culmination of a series of consultations and reports aimed at addressing the challenges and recommendations outlined in the National Strategy for Higher Education(the National Strategy), in particular as these relate to the structure or configuration of the Irish higher education system. This advice builds on other major changes announced since the publication of the strategy, including the agreement of the Process and Criteria for Designation as a Technological University setting out how institutions can become designated as technological universities and the significant role these new institutions can play in Irish higher education. At the same time it must be recognised that other elements of the implementation of the strategy (for example, those relating to sustainability) are still under way. This report to the Minister is concerned with the structure and institutional disposition of the system.

HEA Report to the Minister for Education and Skills on Irish higher education (Response Letter)

HEA Report to the Minister for Education and Skills on Irish higher education (Response Letter). Provided by the Department of Education and Skills, Ireland.

ICT Action Plan Meeting the high-level skills needs of enterprise in Ireland

The technology sector in Ireland is thriving. Employment, through indigenous and multinational technology firms continues to grow strongly year on year. All of the top 10 multinational technology companies have a significant presence in Ireland and the indigenous software sector’s exports are worth well in excess of €1 billion annually. Five of the top 10 exporters in Ireland are technology companies, and the sector is responsible for approximately one-third of Ireland’s total turnover. Since January 2011, over 80 jobs a week have been announced in the sector. This is on foot of 6% employment growth in 2009 and 4% in 2010. A recent global competitiveness report ranks Ireland as the top destination in the world by quality and value of investments. With a growing multinational technology presence in Ireland and a vibrant and innovative indigenous software sector, the future prospects for Ireland’s technology sector are bright.

ICT Skills Action Plan 2014-2018

In January 2012, in a direct response to specific skills shortages for people with high-level ICT skills, the Department of Education and Skills published a joint Government–industry ICT Action Plan aimed at building the supply of high-level ICT graduates. One of the key measures in the Plan was the roll-out, from March 2012, of more than 800 places on intensive NFQ level 8 higher diploma ICT skills conversion programmes by higher education providers in partnership with industry. In recognition of the ICT and software development skills shortages that continue to exist, a second phase of the ICT Skills Programme was rolled-out in late 2012, with the Higher Education Authority requesting proposals from higher education providers for a further round of specialist programmes aimed at addressing identified ICT and software development skills gaps. From spring 2013, a number of higher education providers are again offering a number of Level 8 Conversion Programmes, in collaboration with industry partners, which will provide graduates from other skills areas with the opportunity to up-skill or re-skill through a 1 year full-time HDip Conversion Programme in core computing/programming, software and data analysis.

Management Framework Agreement between the Department of Education and Skills and City of Dublin ETB

Management Framework Agreement between the Department of Education and Skills and City of Dublin ETB. Provided by the Department of Education and Skills, Ireland.

Naming the Reformed Junior Cycle Proposals for the Minister for Education and Skills - Irish Second Level Students Union (ISSU)

It was important to us to engage with as many students as possible throughout the process of developing a new name for the reformed junior cycle. In this vein, we used a wide variety of methods to engage with students in order to capture as many ideas as possible; text messaging, Facebook, Twitter, email and consultation sessions. We circulated posters to all schools via post and/or email, and contacted schools in catchment areas for the consultation sessions by phone. In our consultation sessions, we had discussions with the participating students about what the new junior cycle would be, closely guided by the content of “Towards a Framework for Junior Cycle” from the National Council for Curriculum and assessment. In these sessions, students then gave feedback on what they thought of the reformed junior cycle, developed their own ideas, and identified what they thought should be reflected in the name of the reformed junior cycle