John Halligan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will deal first with Deputy Niall Collins's question. He is correct. A number of weeks ago I launched an initiative programme for chefs who have gone through a three- or four-year apprenticeship in Tallaght. The indications are that over the next four, five or six years the hospitality sector will require perhaps 8,000 to 10,000 chefs. There is no doubt that this is an important issue. The hospitality sector provides some of the most important services in the economy. It employs approximately 158,000 in 16,000 enterprises. I have asked Enterprise Ireland to prepare a report on how small and medium-sized businesses feel about economic growth in the next couple of years, including the exact number of chefs and other staff that will be required. They will report back to me hopefully by September.

If the ability is there to create so many jobs in that sector, which I believe there will be, we will not be founding wanting in that regard.

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