Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Like other members, I welcome the Minister's presentation of these Estimates. It is good there is a 7.4% increase in the financial provision for his Department this year. I agree with Deputy Feighan's observations on apprenticeships and their importance. It is very good the apprenticeship budget has increased by 83% in less than five years.

That is a welcome measure. The Minister cited the remuneration available to apprentices. The public at large do not believe the level of remuneration is as good as what the Minister cited. There needs to be a better information campaign in regard to the necessary remuneration for young people going through apprenticeships. I hope the Minister can do that.

The Minister is aware that there is some concern among apprentices going into the second phase of their apprenticeships that there may be delays. Some apprentices who are due to start the second phase in September have not yet been notified whether that will commence. Reassurance needs to go out that there will be no undue delay in those apprentices being facilitated with the transition to the second phase of their apprenticeship. It is important that message goes out as soon as possible.

I heard the Minister speak over the past few days about the SUSI eligibility limits changing for the better. Again, a better campaign is needed to encourage people to take up the options if they qualify. The deadline for the initial application is 10 July. If that could be put back, it would be helpful. Perhaps a graduated application process - I am not exactly clear - or some type of campaign is necessary to encourage people to ensure they avail of SUSI if they are within the income eligibility limits.

With regard to cost-of-living measures, I am sure the Minister's officials will be aware of me raising an issue over the past few years. I was very annoyed that students from our State studying in the other part of our country in our neighbouring jurisdiction or in Britain were denied that cost-of-living measure in three different years. A student studying in Belfast, Derry, England or somewhere else in Europe or their parents should have been able to avail of that €1,000 cost-of-living measure. If there are measures in the future, we must ensure that students studying outside our State, be it in our neighbouring jurisdiction in our country or abroad, are not denied any of those benefits. I sincerely hope that will be addressed in the future.

I spoke to the Minister on a number of occasions about the welcome capital programme for the further education sector. Over the past five years since the Department was established, there has been a welcome emphasis on the role of the further education sector in preparing and upskilling people for jobs or as a pathway to higher education. It has been a great success and I am familiar with the institute in Cavan town since its early days. A proposal is with the Minister's Department in regard to the development of major additional permanent accommodation as part of a college of the future facility. I hope that will be progressed to the next stage as soon as possible.

Concerning skills, apprenticeships and further education, more has probably been done at a higher education level in opportunities for co-operation and collaboration on a North-South basis. We have those opportunities. We must drive it from our State's point of view. Many years ago, there were more students from Northern Ireland colleges here than there may be today. We need better student mobility North-South and South-North. The two south Ulster counties I have the privilege of representing, Cavan and Monaghan, are beside Enniskillen and other towns in Northern Ireland. There has to be collaboration between colleges of further education, which there is, but it needs to be driven more intensively for deeper collaboration and more co-operation. It exists at the minute but can be brought to a higher scale. I wish the Minister well with his work. I have no doubt he will continue to give the Department the good leadership it needs. I know he is a person who likes to get out, meet the stakeholders and listen to them and deal with those issues.