Eoghan Kenny (Cork North-Central, Labour)

I move amendment No. 2:

In page 3, between lines 18 and 19, to insert the following:

“(2C) A payment for a purpose specified in subsection (1) in respect of works referred to in subsection (2B)(b) shall, where practicable, be made subject to the condition that tenders for the procurement of those works shall include as a condition that apprenticeships or training opportunities, of such nature and number as are specified by An tSeirbhís, are provided by the contractor during the period of execution of those works.”.”.

The Minister will be well aware of why I am placing this amendment before the Dáil. It is essential that priority is given to young people across this country who wish to seek an apprenticeship. I think of the many young people I taught and the number of them who wished to seek a career as an apprentice. It is fantastic to see. However, they face constant barriers when it comes to apprenticeships. One of those main barriers, of course, is the financial aspect to being an apprentice and the significant issue apprentices face in terms of their income. The point of the amendment in its entirety is that if companies across this country wish to build public buildings, a part and a condition of that would be that they have to give young people the opportunity for an apprenticeship or training courses.

From an outsider's perspective, what it would look like is quite simple and straightforward. I appreciate the conversations we have had on this and I understand legislation from Europe is involved in how we would implement such an amendment, but it is important the Department of further and higher education realise that amendments like this being tabled show it is clearly and utterly necessary to recognise the role of apprenticeships in every facet of building that goes on in this country. It is not just building; a significant amount of people want to do mechanics or hairdressing. There are loads of apprenticeship courses that can be offered now but it is about promoting them.

It is not so long since I was in school and I always felt there was a slight stigma about the role of apprenticeships. I do not know where that comes from. I spent a lot of time as a teacher encouraging students to do an apprenticeship because third level education and college life are not for everybody. People across the country appreciate that, as do most people in this Chamber. The point we try to get across is that when we try to encourage apprenticeships, we must also encourage employers to take on new apprentices. That is what this amendment speaks to.

From the conversations the Minister and I have had, I understand EU legislation has to be looked at in relation to how we would implement this amendment. I would appreciate if the Minister's Department would work with me on this. It is essential and it speaks to the core values of the young people we represent, or say we represent, across the country.

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