Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for asking the question and raising this issue with me on a number of occasions. I thank him for being good and honourable enough to acknowledge other people like Councillor Moegie Maher, Senator Dolan and others who have worked on this. I acknowledge that everybody from Roscommon in this House has come together to try to make progress on this and to work very closely with the Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board, GRETB. I thank them for their work on that.

My officials and I are very aware of the GRETB application and the work that is being done on the business case in respect of the proposed purchase of a property in Roscommon town to facilitate new apprenticeship training capacity. Initial documentation regarding this request for funding was submitted by GRETB to SOLAS, our agency, late last year. SOLAS is now working with GRETB to finalise that business case, which is important in securing funding. As part of this process, GRETB will be required to provide some further detail to support the acquisition from a strategic viewpoint, while taking account of the overall regional and national plans for apprentice provision for the region. This is in line with requirements that I have to satisfy in terms of the infrastructure guidelines. Once the business case is completed, it can then be appraised and forwarded to my Department. At a practical and basic level, we need to increase apprenticeship capacity dramatically around the country. I am eager to progress any capacity that we can find. We also need to make sure that people can access apprenticeships near their locality, so that if somebody in Roscommon wants to become an apprentice, he or she does not have to travel long distances to do so. We also have to recognise that there is a gap in the map, when it comes to Roscommon, that I am very eager to fill.

The Deputy will understand that it would not be helpful for me to comment on a specific building or site, but I can tell him very clearly that my overall aim is to make sure we have apprenticeship provision in County Roscommon. Indeed, we may be a bit more ambitious in that and not just limit it to apprenticeship but other skill provision that should be available in the county. My commitment is that my officials and SOLAS will continue to work very closely with GRETB. I thank its leadership team, which is doing a very good job to try to get the business case completed as a matter of urgency and to work through the process. I am eager to work with the Deputy and his colleagues in the constituency on this matter.

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