Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

In the interest of not repeating my points further, I will address the Minister and the Minister of State regarding the Minister of State's remarks on sectoral requirements. There are massive sectoral requirements, particularly for skills based in rural Ireland such as fishing, farming and haulage. We have to look at approaches other than the apprenticeship model. I do not wish to labour the point but, when I was president of the Irish Road Haulage Association, we brought an apprenticeship programme to SOLAS but it never got off the ground. The education and training board subsequently took it up. It is a very successful programme which is oversubscribed. In light of the skills shortage in that sector, I appeal to the Minister to look at the European model which involves lowering the minimum age to apply for a licence to drive heavy goods vehicles, HGVs, and commercial vehicles to 16. One can attain a licence to drive an agricultural tractor at that age. When one is driving a tractor, one is virtually driving a computer. They are massive machines. I cannot see the difference. We have to look at this matter. These jobs are set out as eligible for critical skills permits. It is much better to have home-grown workers. It would be much better to entertain the CAO process, to lower the figures and to look after our own, particularly given the current high unemployment rate.

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