Donna McGettigan (Clare, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for coming in to speak to us. All I have seen since recently coming into this role is that there are issues with the apprenticeship system and that we need to overhaul it. However, I cannot understand why we are being led in this direction when some of the dropout rates are up at 47%. I do not understand why we would go that way. There are very good aspects of apprenticeships that should be kept, but we seem to be moving away from the model in that regard.

Regarding second-hand tools, would that not be a safety issue? Are tools tested to ensure that they are up to standard? They have no choice but to buy them. However, is that not a health and safety issue in view of the fact that they are probably not being checked?

Do witnesses feel the existing system has adequate supports for apprentices who might be experiencing difficulties like discrimination in the context of pay and a lack of satisfaction? I know wages are decided through collective bargaining, but who oversees that? Is that happening on site with apprentices? Are they afraid to go and speak to someone in case they lose their place because that would be detrimental to them? Are the same supports given to apprentices as those given to college students? Are they entitled to them? Are they aware of them or are they afraid to approach someone about it?

Has this week's budget done anything for apprentices? I cannot really see the details. They are very scant, so I cannot see anything happening there.

In terms of the age profile, apprentices are getting older. We have people with families and mortgages going into apprenticeships. We need 80,000 extra workers to homes. We need apprentices. What will entice them into it? I ask particularly about those in an older age bracket, because they would have families, mortgages and bills.

It was mentioned that employers could be calling the shots to suit their own standards rather than the national standards. Could the witnesses elaborate on that? I do not understand that.

Do witnesses think there should be more done at secondary school level to promote apprenticeships? As was stated, there is a stigma around apprenticeship. We should be going the opposite way. We need these people. We need to build houses. We need electricians and plumbers.