Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Today in the education committee we heard an update from Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science officials on targets the Department achieved under its performance review.Over 209,000 people are in higher education and over 32,000 people are in postgraduate education. We know the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science has placed a significant focus on increasing places on apprenticeship programmes. Over 26,000 people are doing apprenticeships while nearly 85,000 are doing upskilling or reskilling courses. This shows the impact of this new Department, which has been in operation for three years. The performance update was over two years.

I wish to speak about the expansion of apprenticeship programmes. There are over 70 courses. There are no third level training places in the new constituency of Roscommon-Galway. There is significant demand coming from Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board to provide a centre in Roscommon town to meet the demand for apprenticeship courses. We know that demand is there. We need to be able to offer apprenticeship centres across the country that are accessible to people living in the areas.

Many people see the rising costs of going to college. Everyone can see the opportunities apprenticeships offer to earn and learn. People can get a qualification and go to level 5, 6, 7 or 8, all the way up to postgraduate and PhD qualifications, through doing some apprenticeship programmes. As well as the traditional trades we are used to hearing about in connection with apprenticeships, there are brand-new apprenticeships in biomedicine and auctioneering. They are opening in so many different areas, even farm management. It is great to see this expansion and that apprenticeships are reaching and exceeding their targets, particularly in encouraging more women to do apprenticeship programmes. However, I really want to highlight the key demand from Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board for an apprenticeship centre in Roscommon.