Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Congratulations, comhghairdeas, on the participants' wonderful achievements at WorldSkills this year. I also commend the work of SOLAS, the HEA and the volunteers and WorldSkills Ireland on what they are doing for our youth. The participants should not underestimate the inspirational role models they are on that world stage for the youth of Ireland as they ponder their next careers. They are showing them the potential they have. Do the participants think their schools or career guidance counsellors give them enough encouragement to consider apprenticeships? What was their experience in secondary school and so on? Furthermore, I noticed that of the 17 participants, four were women. That is roughly the percentage of women we have in the Dáil, so we definitely need more women in the Dáil and more women apprentices. I, therefore, ask the following question of the women in particular, although I would like answers from some of the young men here as well. What has the women's experience been and what can we do to get more women involved in this? What do the men think we can do to get more women involved in apprenticeships? It is an untapped resource. There is such potential there.