Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister quoted figures on people taking up apprenticeships and stated it was a high number. I will give the Minister a figure that was recently released to me. There are only 83 apprentices who are at phase 7 in Cork. There are 14 electricians and 16 plumbers. Cork needs 39,105 houses by 2028 but there will be 16 plumbers and 14 electricians, if that is what we are turning out. These are the facts, because I got them from the Department. These are the facts that I am telling the Minister here.

I have been told that of a class that completed last year, 15 out of 16 of them emigrated. I hope that plumber will be really busy.

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