Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am sharing time with Deputy Paul Donnelly.

I have two questions. The first relates to the critical skills list that is linked to work permits. It has not been updated in ten years. It strikes me as a little odd that there are no skills coming off the list. This is a deficit that needs to be addressed. Clearly, the training is not happening. If the Minister examines the area, as I am sure he has, he will see there are many subgroups, working groups and groups doing this and that but none sitting down to consider how we can deliver training to those who currently need it here and how we can start to reduce the length of the skills list as a consequence. I ask the Minister to consider reducing the length of the list proactively.

My second question relates to apprenticeships. I have to hand a letter from Connect to the Department. It asks whether it is possible that the role of the education and training provider, as the Minister refers to it, could go to a private company? I suspect it could. More than that, I suspect it may form part of the plans but, as ever and as the Minister will know, I am not a pessimist. Rather, I am an optimist with experience so I am willing to be convinced that the Minister is not going to privatise the role although I fear it is his intention.

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