Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I totally agree with the Minister's first point about people having certainty. In addition, that again shows us the role of the State. At the end of the day, the State is the largest employer, and that is a very important point. Of course people were concerned about certainty after the crash, but I am looking at those who are in the system right now and who feel like they are not heard or listened to. A lot of the time they feel their voices just are not heard. I think the Minister is saying he is willing and hoping to bring voice to that, which is really important. The reality is that in a number of the craft apprentices, it is taking longer. Unfortunately, I do not have the figures right in front of me, but it is taking up to six years. I have had those figures provided to me by SOLAS. When people do not have that certainty as to how long it will take them to finish up, they will go to Australia - that is the reality - because they just do not feel they will get qualified in the time they should be.

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