Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Does the Minister agree that the labour market has become much too focused on the short term and there is too little investment in training and apprenticeships, though which it takes time to reap rewards? Even prior to the recession in the construction sector, apprenticeship schemes had almost disappeared and we became reliant on eastern Europe for tradesmen. There has to be direct Government action to stimulate such schemes across every industry because they have disappeared gradually over the past 20 years and we have reached a point where all our young people must leave the country to get work.

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