Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The apprenticeships issue does feed into a change in policy which is an obvious knock-on effect. In fairness to the Department of Education and Skills, this step-change in policy has taken place, because there was a review of the apprenticeship programme. This examined expanding the programme to make some of the apprenticeships more attractive to different genders and age groups. This process is having a knock-on effect, I just do not know if the high level indicators and objectives are being tied in with the policy at a high level in Departments. I am not sure if it is a case of Departments having an indicator and wondering how they will arrive at policy answers in order to fulfil it. I am unsure how much cohesion exists or the commitment that is there in the Departments to achieve their own goals. Some Departments, such as Education and Skills, have done some policy work but others are not doing it. Who is responsible? Does it come down to the Minister in charge? Is it the officials? What role does the budget steering group have in driving the policy? It would be useful to have the witnesses' comments on this.