Laura Harmon (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank all of the witnesses for being here today. I thank them for the important work they are all doing. It is great to have this discussion. I have a number of questions, the first of which relates to pay and the witnesses' views on that. The Labour Party has been very clear that apprentices should not be paid below the minimum wage. We need to have a living wage in place for apprentices. Even Germany and Austria have found a high correlation between low pay and dropout rates, which is concerning. Research conducted by Connect Trade Union found that 20% of craft apprentices drop out and there is non-completion. I would like the views of the witnesses on that and how we can keep people in their apprenticeships first and then encourage them into the professions. Do they believe that pay is a barrier?