Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am best placed to answer that. I thank the Deputy very much. He is correct in that the climate agenda is immense. The commitments in that regard are very clear in the programme for Government, but it is not just for the benefit of climate change, as it is also a crucial time to get people back to work, as there are significant job creation opportunities here and in terms of career pathways.

The Minister of State, Deputy Niall Collins, and I published the Government's new strategy for further education and training. What is clear in that are the commitments regarding climate change and the skills required for retrofitting being priorities. What will now happen is that the implementation plans will be put in place for the delivery of that strategy.

The second point relates to the July stimulus. I do not wish to get ahead of myself, but in the discussions the Minister of State, Deputy Niall Collins, and I are having with Government colleagues, I am very hopeful that additional funding will be provided for upskilling places and apprenticeship places. I foresee a very core role for those courses to be aimed exactly at the area the Deputy talks about.

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