Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Flaherty. The first response I will give is on my specific responsibilities and the terms of this sectoral employment order, which sets increases on the hourly rate for apprentices. It provides a very clear indication, as I referred to when responding to Deputy Stanton, that those choosing a career in any of these crafts or trades can rely on to have a very decent and good salary as a basic minimum. These are salaries that have the potential to allow people to bring home extremely high incomes in due course. This is for the medium term. In the short term we want to make every effort to increase the number of people going for apprenticeships and increase the number of people who, after going through the apprenticeship process, stay in this country and contribute to the economy and provide a return to society.

In further education more generally we have seen a number of measures from the Minister, Deputy Harris on college fees, SUSI grants and on-campus accommodation to try to address the very real concerns. Parallel to apprentices, one third of third-level students have said they feel serious financial pressures. This is one third too many and every effort must be made to reduce this and keep them in further and higher education.

I am very open to the suggestion on a potential one-off measure to look at the thresholds of a supplementary welfare allowance payment. Deputy Flaherty spoke about straddling two Departments. We are probably straddling five Departments and we need to get into a discussion with regard to social protection, public expenditure and finance but this is what is required. It is about having a whole-of-government approach to home building. This is what it comes down to. We need more homes in the State. We need more homes, be they in Longford, Tipperary, Cork or Dublin. We need homes of all natures, including private, social and affordable, duplex, apartment, one-off houses, estates and everything else. We need them and we need people to build them. We need people to be in a position to complete their apprenticeships and perhaps take the option of moving career from one sector into the construction sector, perhaps to a good salary.

Every effort that can be made by every Government Department should be made. I will take on the Deputy's recommendation and bring it to the Minister for Justice, Deputy Harris and the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Humphreys and see, in the context of budgetary considerations, if it can be added to the budget in the autumn, whether on a one-off or capital expenditure basis.