Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

First, apologies for being late for the presentations. I have read the opening statements.

I agree with much of what Senators Gallagher and Ruane have said. It seems like there are many great ideas and there is a lot of good work going on to a certain extent, but my difficulty is that I do not think that information is filtering down to those at local level who might have an interest in apprenticeships. It seems to be difficult for such people to get information. For many, their first point of contact will be a local social welfare office, and those I deal with are pointed more in the direction of Turas Nua than towards any other option. Whether it be some sort of training scheme through SOLAS or an apprenticeship, that information does not seem to be forthcoming.

Touching on what Senator Gallagher said about employers, I would know of a number of people who cannot find apprentices. There are a bunch of people who are looking for information on how to get into an apprenticeship and there are many good points being said here today. Somewhere along that spectrum, there is a piece missing or the information is not being funnelled down. I do not know whether any of the witnesses are in a position to answer this, but when people go into their social welfare office, what is this obsession with Turas Nua and funnelling people towards that only? That is where many of the difficulties lie. I know of people who have been offered training schemes with SOLAS who have been told by Turas Nua that it cannot release them for that. This is really stupid carry-on that makes no sense. There needs to be something done to join up all those dots.

For some apprenticeships, such as a barbering apprenticeship to which there is a fee attached, the apprentices themselves must fund it. Is there any option for them? Someone coming from school who has been unemployed for less than a year will not qualify for the back to education allowance. He or she will not qualify for a SUSI grant. Where does such a person get that money? Must such people source it themselves? That can be a deterrent to them. I would like to get some answers to that.

There is an ad hocapproach. It is great if a person meets somebody locally who is good and will give that person the information, but what if that person does not? It depends on where a person is in the country and who he or she meets on a particular day. There does not seem to be any kind of uniformity in getting the information. There was a debate last week on a Private Members' motion on apprenticeships during which the Minister stated that there is some financial incentive for employers to take on apprentices. If there is, that information needs to be disseminated.

Mr. O'Flaherty explained how government is working to address the problems women have in finding pathways to apprenticeships. What practical steps is the Department taking in that regard and is it looking at the issue of quality and affordable childcare, which is always a difficulty? This comes back to different areas in different Departments not talking to each other. To qualify for certain schemes, a person needs to be unemployed for a year or meet other criteria and he or she might qualify for something, but it means the person will not qualify for the affordable childcare. What sort of joined-up thinking or interdepartmental dialogue occurs in that regard? Those are the barriers for many. It is a minefield when a person tries to get the information.

Perhaps Mr. O'Flaherty would be the most appropriate person to answer a question on the funding struggle of community education and the introduction of fees for those trying to get back on their feet, either through back to education or, as somebody I met yesterday said wisely, where this could be their first opportunity because the education system failed them in the first instance. What if they are forced to pay fees? Already, so much community education struggles for funding. They do not like to have to ask the students who are coming to them for fees. I would appreciate the opinions of the witnesses on such matters.

Some good measures were suggested. Much of this came up last week as well. For me, the information does not seem to be funnelling down to those on the ground, whether it be those who have left school early or those who have done the leaving certificate but want to do an apprenticeship rather than go on to higher education. There does not seem to be the same funding stream for the latter. For example, they do not qualify for SUSI grants and yet, financially, they would. It is such issues that we need to look at. It is not practical for many to pay those kinds of fees because while in an apprenticeship, they are on very low wages. It would not be viable for them to pay those fees.