Michael Ahern (Cork East, Fianna Fail)

I refer even to those who bought a couple of years ago. Perhaps Dublin is slightly different but this is not the case in the rest of the country.

As for FÁS, the number of new apprentices in 2006 was 7,681 while the corresponding figure for 2007 was 6,288, or approximately 1,400 to 1,500 fewer apprentices. However, craftspeople will be needed in the years ahead and it is predicted that in a few years' time, in 2012, 90,000 to 100,000 skilled building workers will be needed. There are 85,000 such workers at present. Consequently, if we do not continue to train apprentices we will lack the required number of skilled personnel in the years ahead.

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