Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome both Ministers. Following on from Deputy Farrell's contribution, it is an exciting time to be part of a new Department. As a former teacher and educator, it is the apprenticeship side of things which really excites me. I think apprenticeships will finally get their long-overdue respect. They need to be a focus of the Government in rolling this out. I note the good work done by both the Minister and the Minister of State in speaking positively about the need to improve our apprenticeship programme and to deviate from the norm when it comes to third level provision. I know the benefit of an effective apprenticeship programme. Many of my friends and family have benefited from undertaking trades in the past. I note that both the Minister and the Minister of State have spoken about this topic in the past. This is about more than just conventional trades, and I welcome the expansion that is envisaged. That said, we need to do more to advertise the attractiveness of apprenticeships, particularly among younger people. Once health regulations can be adhered to and a normal school environment resumes, I encourage the Department, the various ETBs and SOLAS to engage directly with schools in an almost roadshow-style campaign to inform students of the options and the benefits of pursuing apprenticeships. Too often apprenticeships are dismissed and students favour the traditional educational route. Above all else we need to inform people of choice. If we are serious about encouraging apprenticeships, we need to take action and be proactive in this regard.

Following on from that, I wish to ask the Minister about the development of a comprehensive green further education and skills development plan and where that process is at. We all acknowledge the massive retrofitting programme that is to be rolled out across the country in the next few years and the thousands of jobs that are likely to be created in plumbing, electrics, insulation, etc. I welcome the commitment to increase the total number of new registrations to 10,000 per annum in that regard. I ask the Minister to comment on the green further education and skills development plan and where it is at.

Finally, I will also mention SUSI. I know a review is under way and is due sometime in the summer but I wish to highlight again, as I have done via parliamentary question in the past, the plight of graduate entry medical students. I know the Minister will not be able to give a commitment here or predict what the outcome of that review will be but I ask that that be given its due consideration as part of that review process. Graduate entry medical students need to be considered for grant funding in the future.

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