Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

-----and on the other hand are having a fine go at Opposition. There are internal weaknesses that I am really concerned about. The Minister, Deputy Brendan Howlin, spoke earlier today about lack of trust and lack of stability. I fear that is the fate of the Government. I am not judging any individual members of Government. I know there is commitment and I wish them all well. I am really concerned at the manner in which the Government was put together. From what I heard about the horse trading that was going on in the past 24 hours, it would rival the fair of Spancil Hill in the amount of horse trading that was going on.

I wish the Minister, Deputy Bruton, well in particular, because he goes into the Department of Education and Skills where I have been working for the past couple of years. It has been a fantastic honour to serve as Minister for Education and Skills. My predecessor, the former Minister Ruairí Quinn, and I achieved quite a lot, considering that we were constrained by money, by increasing the number of teachers and SNAs, in beginning to reduce class sizes and in building schools when there was no money and cuts in Departments. We were still able to build high quality schools and get rid of prefabs.

That was an extraordinary achievement in the times that were in it.

I know the Minister, Deputy Bruton, will have an interest in one particular area where we made progress and that is apprenticeships. We are offering for the first time opportunities for apprenticeship not just in the traditional construction areas but in many other areas of the economy. We have got that operational now and I am sure the Minister, Deputy Bruton, will continue with that work. It gives real opportunity to young people who do not have a bent to go on to third level but have real skill and the strength to go on to positive careers. That is an important one of which I am very proud.

I was a bit amused that one of the big wins mentioned with regard to education was that no small school would be forced to close. I actually announced in February 2015 that no small school would be forced to close and that it would be around consultation. So, thanks for stealing our clothes, but well done anyway.

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