Results 41-60 of 16,593 for speaker:Paul Kehoe

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: European Year of Skills 2023: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Paul Kehoe: It was one of the recommendations to the Department in a report which the committee put together. We had Worldskills in before. I am not sure if it was Mr. English.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: European Year of Skills 2023: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Paul Kehoe: Does Mr. English wish to make a contribution there?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: European Year of Skills 2023: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Paul Kehoe: I thank Senator Dolan. I have a few questions for Mr. English and the rest of the panel. Are we making enough of the significance of Worldskills Ireland and its being running concurrently? Mr. McLoughlin spoke about apprenticeships not being promoted in secondary schools. There is an opportunity now that we have the Worldskills Ireland programme in the RDS for two years. It is a big...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: European Year of Skills 2023: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Paul Kehoe: There is a big shortage of plumbers, electricians, carpenters, blocklayers and other tradespeople in the construction industry. We have a very significant number of migrants coming into Ireland. How do we tap into their potential? How can we offer apprenticeships and so on to them? I know there might be a language barrier or other issues but I believe those issues can be overcome. Does...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: European Year of Skills 2023: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Paul Kehoe: Mr. McLoughlin is in a different position. His father has his own electrical business. Everybody in school would have thought he would go on to work in his father's business and that is the way it is. I will ask about people who are totally outside of the area of apprenticeships. I will use the construction apprenticeships as an example because that is where we have big shortages and they...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: European Year of Skills 2023: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Paul Kehoe: We have had witnesses before the committee to talk about the STEM subjects. People think you do not need the STEM subjects for the apprenticeships.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: European Year of Skills 2023: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Paul Kehoe: They are probably more important.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: European Year of Skills 2023: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Paul Kehoe: They are the most important subjects for those going into apprenticeships, especially with the way the whole thing has changed and developed in recent years. I agree with Mr. McLoughlin that the guidance counsellors do not push apprenticeships, although it depends on the school. If you are in a vocational school, they might but that is a big "Might" with a big "M". However, in regular...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: European Year of Skills 2023: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Paul Kehoe: When did Mr. McLoughlin do his leaving certificate?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: European Year of Skills 2023: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Paul Kehoe: Was he at any of the skills programme show days or showcases? I am not sure if there were any. There were but were they as promoted as heavily as they are now? In fairness to the then Minister, Deputy Harris, who is now the Taoiseach, he really did promote apprenticeships. To use the cliché, it is a case of "a lot done, more to do". Did many people go to the skills shows that were...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: European Year of Skills 2023: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Paul Kehoe: I have a question for Ms Donnery from Skillnet on lifelong learning. Where are we falling down on lifelong learning? The cliché now is that you are forever learning and that there are always opportunities available. However, for people who have left school, perhaps mothers who have had kids and want to get back into education, are we making it easy for them or is there more we should...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: European Year of Skills 2023: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Paul Kehoe: Absolutely. Dr. Van Houten, one of the biggest issues that I deal with on a weekly basis in terms of skill supply and labour shortage in Ireland and across Europe, is the granting of work permits. There are an awful lot of skilled people who are unable to get work permits in Ireland, and wrongly so. The people who come here fit into the workplace but when they apply for the work permit,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: European Year of Skills 2023: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Paul Kehoe: Did Mr. McLoughlin win a silver medal?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: European Year of Skills 2023: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Paul Kehoe: Were you carried shoulder-high into your school? I say that because if the prize was the Young Scientist of the Year, you would be carried shoulder-high. Did the school even recognise that you are a leader in the field of apprenticeships and that you won the prize you won?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: European Year of Skills 2023: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Paul Kehoe: It is amazing and I am sure Mr. English would agree with me that if it was anything else, the winner would be carried shoulder-high into the school, whether as a present or former pupil. That shows the mentality towards apprenticeships and what people think of them. They do not get the recognition they duly deserve. If Mr. McLoughlin is successful, he will be earning a lot more money than a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: European Year of Skills 2023: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Paul Kehoe: I am conscious that we have to be in the Dáil Chamber at 2 o'clock for the public apology on the Stardust fire. I will add one question to Deputy Ó Murchú's. Should apprenticeship weeks in all schools have to report and evaluate and be very much part of the Department of Education inspectorate to make sure they get the proper profile they need and deserve?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: European Year of Skills 2023: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Paul Kehoe: I will get Mr. English to conclude because we must finish.