Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I agree with the last point but the Deputy knows when quoting those figures that obviously Covid-19 had an impact on the pace at which people were able to fully qualify as an apprentice. I do not think that is news; that is a reality of the Covid-19 pandemic when our training centres had to shut down for sustained periods of time to keep people safe. The more important figure is that more people than ever before are putting up their hands and saying they want to be apprentices. Those figures are there too and are very strong. I agree that we have to work to make apprenticeships as attractive as possible. The Deputy is entirely correct on that point but I think, or certainly hope, she would agree that resources are not the issue here. Every cent being sought by SOLAS by the Education and Training Boards, ETBs, to expand apprenticeships is forthcoming. We are developing and expanding apprenticeship facilities all around the country. We have already put €20 million into capital funding to deal with the backlog; provided a further €17 million, €6 million of which is to train and bring in additional instructors; and over one hundred additional posts have been approved. I want to see our Technological Universities now and our new Further Education and Training, FET, colleges of the future become those apprenticeship hubs in the region so that people can access that training closer to home and in their communities.

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