Áine Collins (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish to make two comments. The Secretary General spoke about entrepreneurship and the Chairman responded to his comment on a person who had an idea for a product. This is a key area in which mentoring comes into play. When a person goes into a local enterprise office, the first thing he or she needs is to have a mentor appointed for him or her. It is very important that mentors be properly educated and connected, an issue which is covered in a report about to be published.

Also, in regard to regional development, when the layers are developed, I stress that it is important that they extend outwards. I only know about the position in Cork; I cannot talk for the rest of the country. There has been an issue for Cork County Council in that when local enterprise offices were set up in various towns throughout the county, the council had to fund their establishment. It would be useful if a person from the local enterprise office came to a region one day a forthnight which would ensure more of a spread. People do not know where to go and if we are to get the word out, we need to have more of these offices. That is an important point.

Mr. Shanahan was the first person to mention apprenticeships. That is an issue we need to re-examine. There are a great number of skills that could be learned. All of the conversation today has been about graduates coming out of college and so on, which is very important. However, we all know the importance of education, but we do not talk enough about apprenticeships for unemployed youth who may not have had an opportunity to attend third level or may not be that way inclined. It is an issue on which we need to focus.