Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North-Central, Fianna Fail)

If I understand the Minister, some ETBs are deferring. The issue still needs to be dealt with. Are we just kicking the can down the road and, in essence, just leaving the issue for the Minister to solve in the next budgetary cycle? He has said he became aware of this a month ago. Given the numbers of apprentices at the various stages, this should have been identified an awful lot sooner. If the Minister was only made aware of this a month ago, I would ask how whoever was responsible, whether inside the Department or elsewhere, missed this? It is quite significant. In essence, the Minister has said that we are facing the distinct possibility of many courses being deferred. As far as I am concerned, that is just kicking the can down the road. Ultimately, the only solution to this is additional funding in the budget. Will the Minister comment on my concern that we are kicking this further down the road?

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