Donna McGettigan (Clare, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

While I agree that measures have been made into the phase 2, will this not push the backlog back into phases 4 and 6? We have a drop out rate of 3,400. Have they been included in the Minister's figures as well? When that number of people drop out, it shows that it is unfit for purpose.

The apprenticeship system is essential to problems the Government has yet to address. Consider the issue of housing. Skilled apprentices who are needed here to work on housing and other essential projects for the future are emigrating abroad to do their apprenticeships. Are those figures included? They tell us that they have no choice but to go abroad. Apprenticeships here are supposed to take four years but in reality they can take up to six years. This also leads to the system being unfit for purpose. This leaves apprentices working for extra years, sometimes at pay that is below minimum wage. There is a serious shortage of places for them to complete the classroom portion of the training.

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