The Skills Insight Note is the first in the EGFSN’s Skills Insights series for 2026.
The Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) recently published a new ‘Skills Insight Note’ titled Cross Border Skills and Commonalities between Ireland and Northern Ireland. The research explores the labour markets of both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, with a particular focus on cross‑border workers, sectoral employment trends, education profiles and shared skills priorities.
The research – the first in the EGFSN’s Skills Insights series for 2026 – identified strong similarities between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, including a continued reliance on critical sectors, such as manufacturing, health and education, and a shared policy focus on future‑oriented skills in areas such as digitalisation, the green economy and apprenticeships.
Welcoming the data, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke, TD noted the importance of gaining insight into how both jurisdictions can cooperate effectively.
“This Skills Insight Note provides valuable analysis of the labour market links and shared challenges between Ireland and Northern Ireland. The findings underline the importance of collaboration in skills development, particularly as both economies adapt to technological and demographic change.
