Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

What is the Government doing to increase the number of apprenticeships, especially in construction trades? This is of crucial importance for building new homes and for meeting our climate change and retrofitting targets. Apprenticeships in key construction trades, such as bricklaying and plastering, are at only some 10% of their 2004 levels. In other countries, such as the UK and Norway, public contracts for large infrastructure projects include a clause that a percentage of the workforce must be made up of apprentices. In South Australia, for example, 15% of labour hours on specified public contracts are for apprentices and other targeted groups who need upskilling. What is the Government doing to increase the number of apprenticeships in key construction trades? Will it consider similar clauses in public contracts to ensure a percentage of the workforce is made up of apprentices?

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