Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I join the Chairman in congratulating all the participants. It is an incredible achievement, and I know that Ireland has been really successful over the years. Well done to everybody involved. One thing I feel strongly about is the fact that opportunities for young people coming out of school do not have to be the standard go-to-college, get-a-degree opportunities. I commend SOLAS on the work that has been done on apprenticeships, including the new apprenticeships that are now available. My main question is this, and Ms Yeates has already given us an example: have some of the participants some experience of how what they have done will help them in terms of a career and job opportunities? It is so important for young people to recognise that by going down the skills route, there are fantastic opportunities out there, particularly for those of them who have represented the country so well.

I congratulate each and every one of the participants. I do not know if SOLAS would like to respond about the new apprenticeships and whether some of them are tested. Traditionally, there were a number of skills. I think Mr. Brownlee said there were 56 different ones.