Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am not going to ask questions. It is enough that the witnesses are here and that we recognise what they did. It is very important that they come to the Oireachtas. They probably know that means that the State, the Government and the Parliament is extremely proud of all of them, their mentors and staff and the work that they have done. The thing that we need to do as Members of the Dáil and the Seanad is ensure we get a lot more people into apprenticeships and traineeships, and learning skills. We must ensure that people see that as a viable opportunity, both in the types of craft skills our witnesses are involved in and in other types of apprenticeships that are coming on stream. I know that good work is being done, and we are going to have to do a whole lot more about it. The witnesses have demonstrated that we can be among the best in the world and that we can do these things not through the traditional educational system, but through the apprenticeship route. Someone asked one of my colleagues on a doorstep where apprenticeships have gone. People feel they are not as available. Our witnesses are showing that apprenticeships are available, that they are a real option for people, that learning skills is real, and that we can beat and be with the best in the world, so comhghairdeas. Sincere congratulations to all of the witnesses and I thank them for the example that they are setting. I know that some of them will be back here when they are running companies, or in other capacities in the future. They are not going to stay at the bottom rung; I am certain of that. They will be right at the top.