Results 21-40 of 4,052 for speaker:Mairead Farrell

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: European Year of Skills 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Apr 2024)

Mairead Farrell: I understand what happened in 2020 but if we are not hitting the 2020 target of 9,000 now, I do not see the benefit of us talking about another target we might not hit either. That is my concern.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: European Year of Skills 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Apr 2024)

Mairead Farrell: Absolutely. May I ask another question?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: European Year of Skills 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Apr 2024)

Mairead Farrell: I have a question for SOLAS. Mr. Brownlee will be aware of backlogs and so on.. We have had discussions on the matter and tabled parliamentary questions on it. Last week, I got a response to a parliamentary question in which I was trying to establish how long it takes for an apprenticeship to finish. All going according to plan, it should take four years. There are backlogs, however. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: European Year of Skills 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Apr 2024)

Mairead Farrell: I just-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: European Year of Skills 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Apr 2024)

Mairead Farrell: Can Mr. Brownlee expand on that a little?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: European Year of Skills 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Apr 2024)

Mairead Farrell: Could Mr. Brownlee expand on those workshops a little? Where are they? What are they covering? What are the crafts for which they are being used?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: European Year of Skills 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Apr 2024)

Mairead Farrell: I am aware of time constraints. We discussed the target of 10,000. Obviously, there is a huge issue in terms of our housing crisis and having people and the capacity to build the houses we so desperately need. From what I understand, the figure of 10,000 includes both craft and consortia apprenticeships, and it is not an official target for craft apprenticeships or new registrations. Can...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: European Year of Skills 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Apr 2024)

Mairead Farrell: If I am ever talking about housing and the need to ramp up the housing supply, the first question I always get asked is around the fact we do not have the people to build it. There are different issues. There is the apprenticeship side of things and then there are people building hotels and office blocks rather homes and all that kind of thing. That is why I feel strongly about this. One...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: European Year of Skills 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Apr 2024)

Mairead Farrell: There is, yes. I saw it on the news.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: European Year of Skills 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Apr 2024)

Mairead Farrell: Absolutely.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: European Year of Skills 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Apr 2024)

Mairead Farrell: I am conscious of my time. That is something I feel really passionately about as well. On that whole issue of the 10,000 target, the growth of apprenticeships is something we hear about a lot from Government. That is extremely welcome. It is really good that people have different opportunities and all that. However, I was looking at the growth of consortia apprentices versus the growth...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: European Year of Skills 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Apr 2024)

Mairead Farrell: Those are the figures.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: European Year of Skills 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Apr 2024)

Mairead Farrell: Yes, it was 2% in 2016 and now it is 30%. Still, if we are looking at that, there is a significant difference in the growth rate. When we look at the breakdown of the types of consortia apprentices, from what I understand, there were 48 different types of consortia apprenticeships last year. It is really welcome, as I said, that there are alternative routes outside the CAO system for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: European Year of Skills 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Apr 2024)

Mairead Farrell: On the employee issue, the State is the biggest employer in the country. That is something we really need to get our heads around. That is not on SOLAS. It cannot tell the Government what to do but I think that is important.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: European Year of Skills 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Apr 2024)

Mairead Farrell: I thank Mr. Brownlee.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Birth Registration (30 Apr 2024)

Mairead Farrell: 139. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of an application for a foreign birth registration (details supplied); the reason for the delay; when a decision will issue, given that a review was expected in March 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18759/24]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Inland Fisheries (30 Apr 2024)

Mairead Farrell: 167. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the reason for the volte-face in relation to stock management operations on Lough Corrib (details supplied; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19184/24]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (30 Apr 2024)

Mairead Farrell: 441. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a DEIS school (details supplied) will receive funding for hot school meals; if so, when this will be approved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18879/24]

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (30 Apr 2024)

Mairead Farrell: 556. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 1166 of 9 April 2024, what the community childcare subvention and the community childcare subvention plus programmes have been replaced with, and what the eligibility criteria is for a sponsor referral; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18780/24]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (30 Apr 2024)

Mairead Farrell: 766. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills where applications in relation to the use of the dormant funds accounts to support those young care leavers seeking student accommodation can be made; the guidelines for applying; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19465/24]