Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Will Mr. Beausang furnish the committee with a note specifically on that?

In regard to SOLAS's process for apprenticeships, there seems to be a mismatch as between taking on those who want to do an apprenticeship and a lack of industry support for those apprentices. I am quite familiar with the wonderful SOLAS training centre in Loughlinstown. My understanding is that a lot of local individuals have applied to do apprenticeships, having heard the advertising on the radio, but there is not a sufficient level of buy-in from industry. Applicants, therefore, can do one element of the apprenticeship but not the practical element. That needs to be addressed. I ask the Department officials to take that away from the meeting and to engage with SOLAS on it in order to achieve improvements.

I turn now to the underspend on student support and related expenses. Dr. O'Reardon responded to Deputy O'Connor on this issue with a reference to a figure of €50 million. Was the underspend specifically related to student support only? Could that money have been put back into the Department for further education provision, say, or is it purposely earmarked for student support under the Vote?