Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy is asking what else can be done to help to reduce the backlog. The National Apprenticeship Office launched a recruitment campaign across several media in November. That campaign used a centralised National Apprenticeship Office platform for applications. Added to that, a new advanced block approval process for the posts was put in place and the approval process was delivered through our Department and the Department of Education. It will be used to streamline the sanctions into the future. As the Deputy will fully appreciate, we are in a competitive labour market as we try to attract people into these roles because of the buoyancy of the labour market, which is at full employment. The aim of the campaign was to support the delivery of that increased capacity and I have outlined to the Deputy what we have achieved to date and how. Well over half of the posts have been filled. It is our obligation and intention to drive on that process and fill the remaining posts by the end of next year.

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