Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The issue I want to raise is an issue primarily for Mr. Brownlee but if Mr. Healy and his team want to contribute also, that will be welcome. This is the second year in a row without a written junior certificate examination. Last year, there were difficulties certifying those who were leaving school after their junior certificate to ensure they could enter an apprenticeship. Ultimately, the Minister provided an interim letter of confirmation after some pressure from ourselves and others. I want to know whether this is being boxed off for this year. Can we ensure that there will be no repeat of the delays faced by those leaving school after the junior certificate and that they will be able to access apprenticeships swiftly and without any complications?

On the future of apprenticeships, a lot of work has gone into www.apprenticeship.iebut I hear complaints about it not being user-friendly.

The feedback is that apprenticeship.ie is not user-friendly and that there are some difficulties with it. Are there plans to revise or update the platform because that is something that I receive feedback on?

This is probably a peculiar point but it occurred to me as we are speaking here. I can think of instances where people I have known with smaller businesses would have provided an apprentice to somebody they knew who may have been struggling and not had a job for while and who probably might not have otherwise provided an apprenticeship to this person. This would have allowed that person to serve their time with them but they allowed that because of the circumstances that young person was in. There is obviously a logic to a unified approach and everyone having a fair crack of the whip but will there be a flexibility on the ground for circumstances such as that?

Similarly, are we taking enough cognisance of the fact that many people who would offer apprenticeships would run businesses that are quite small? Are we taking cognisance also of their ability to negotiate this new consortia-led model?

Finally, I raise the lack of painting apprenticeships in Cork, which Mr. Brownlee would be familiar with. The Rossa Avenue facilities are still idle. I know specialists in the field who have told me that Irish customers are looking to Britain to find skilled painters, particularly decorative painters, and this seems to be a waste of local talent. Is there any update on that?