Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Thankfully, this Government and the last Government restored our country with the help of the Irish people. There are more people back at work, there is a construction sector that is beginning to re-emerge from the doldrums of a decade, a lost decade caused by Senator Clifford-Lee's party in government and nobody else. We had to re-brand and reconstruct FÁS as SOLAS, following the mess the Senator's party in government created with FÁS in respect of the construction sector. Now we are working with industry to ensure people are back at work in the construction sector. I agree with Senator Ardagh, it is absolutely important that we prioritise construction apprenticeships because skilled craftspeople and others are needed to work in that sector. That is what this Government is doing. There is an action plan for apprenticeships under the Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills, Deputy Halligan and the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Bruton.