Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Tá áthas orm labhairt ar na ráitis seo. I acknowledge the fact that there is tremendous work taking place with respect to apprenticeships and further education. The fact that we are slowly but surely graduating away from a model of further education focused almost entirely on third level is welcome. We need to continue that work of developing a broader vision in that regard. I will raise one specific issue with the Minister of State, and it relates to concerns brought to me by the Farm Tractor and Machinery Trade Association, FTMTA. It has been clear to me for some time now that there are areas in the agriculture sector facing enormous and prolonged difficulties around recruitment of skilled staff. Indeed, as I understand it from the FTMTA, there are in excess of 670 vacant positions for agricultural mechanics across the industry and, on average, every farm machinery dealership has two open positions for a qualified mechanic. Some 85% of farm machinery dealerships are trying to recruit, with 67% having positions open, I understand, for more than six months. So I come at this issue from two angles. The first concerns the impact this will have on the viability of farm operations on the trade sector itself, but the second is from the perspective of apprenticeships, which I have dealt with extensively as a member of the Oireachtas Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. We need a joined up, cross-departmental approach to this crisis and a fresh review of the critical skills list in this area. That is why I want to see the likes of the FTMTA front and centre at the table where these discussions will take place, particularly around apprenticeships.

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