Dr. Mary-Liz Trant:

They are also getting funding and support to do that engagement with employers. It is not yet complete. The Senator is absolutely right that this is a work in progress. We need to step up to ensure there is awareness but also to identify the practical barriers to employers taking on apprentices on these new programmes and then how we support employers. The Senator makes a fair point. We need to continue with Generation Apprenticeship and raising awareness. We then need to ensure the numbers of employers increase. We are supporting all the consortia, not just the auctioneering one, to ensure they are getting that message out and building a critical mass of apprenticeship in Irish industry.