Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Duncan Smith. With regard to apprenticeships, there are no boundaries or limits to what we can look into in terms of the feasibility of running and developing an apprenticeship programme. That is to follow on from what the Minister, Deputy Harris, said about that. What the Deputy outlined is absolutely the case. These are critical skills that are required in a modern environment.

The whole area of apprenticeships is a key commitment in the programme for Government. The Minister, Deputy Harris, and I, as well as our Department, are keen to destigmatise the area of apprenticeships, mainstream it and put it centre stage in terms of being a viable and rewarding qualification and career path for people to earn a livelihood and to live their lives in a fruitful and rewarding fashion.

We are developing the apprenticeship action plan, as the Deputy is aware, and we will be seeking to have up to 10,000 annual apprenticeship registrations by 2025. We consulted widely on the development of this plan. There were more than 60 written submissions. There was a survey of 3,750 registered apprentices and more than 340 employers. They were obtained through our regional skills fora managers so it was an all-encompassing process. Everybody was consulted, including the trade union movement to which the Deputy alluded. We will shortly be launching the apprenticeship action plan, which will include the notion of an apprenticeship consortium.

This will consist of employers, sectoral employee representatives and education and training providers developing and updating the skills required for each of the apprenticeships. We will also place centrally in the whole concept a national apprenticeship office to help co-ordinate and review on an ongoing basis the whole area of apprenticeships. I hope that suffices.

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