Mr. Ultan Courtney:

Dublin Bus has long been associated with apprenticeships. Our training manager started off as an apprentice and is one of the few female apprentices in the business. She is very much an example to all women who wish to take up apprenticeships. We want to grow our apprenticeship scheme into the future. Like Iarnród Éireann, Dublin Bus wants people from different backgrounds to come forward. We should remember that 31% of employees in Dublin Bus come from 73 different countries. Dublin Bus is a public transport company that also wants to increase opportunities for anybody who wishes to take on work. The important point is that any organisation that has an apprentice scheme has a long-term future. Dublin Bus recruited a number of employees over the last year and will recruit nearly 100 more in the next year. The business is growing so apprenticeships are needed. We have new buses coming in so there will be new challenges.