Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I want to raise two issues with the Leader. I formally welcome the announcement this week by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Harris, of the roll-out of €450,000 of funding for Traveller apprenticeships. That is a positive move which I want to acknowledge and which is important. It is not a lot of money but it is a movement in the right direction. Education and training are important, particularly for the Traveller community in terms of practical apprenticeships that are tailored for their specific needs. We know it is sometimes difficult for the Traveller community in particular, not necessarily for reasons of their making, to remain in education and training. What I like about the proposal of the Minister, Deputy Harris, yesterday is that he has put in place funding for a national apprenticeship outreach officer, which will maintain ongoing contact and support with the people who sign up for the apprenticeship scheme. That is another positive initiative by the Minister. I acknowledge that. It is important and the Minister is doing amazing work in education and training. He has spoken many times in this House about how he sees education in the broader sense in terms of supports in education. I acknowledge that and at some point we might have more detailed discussion on that scheme.

I wish the Local Authority Members Association, LAMA, well. It meets in Monaghan tonight and for the next few days in its autumn conference, and many of us will be travelling there. I make the following call on its behalf. It wants us in this House to debate local government funding and how that is done. I have asked before, as have other Members, and I ask the Leader again to raise this matter and for us to have a specific debate on it. I am thinking of Senator Buttimer who has asked about this many times. I ask for a debate about local government funding and how we will fund and sustain local councils.