Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Why is so little progress being made in clearing the backlog of apprentices waiting to access off-the-job training in further education colleges and technological universities, given that 4,937 apprentices have been waiting over six months to be given a date to begin their off-the-job training? Can the Minister let us know the steps he has taken to facilitate apprentices accessing training close to home? Over the last two and a half years, the apprenticeship system has been chronic and chaotic, with one in four apprentices waiting more than six months to even get a date to start their off-the-job training in either further education or technological universities. It is higher again for certain apprentices such as electricians. I am frustrated at the lack of progress we are making in this area, but not half as frustrated as the apprentices themselves.

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