Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Question 173: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of apprentices from the Office of Public Works who have served their time and then not been kept on since the introduction of the moratorium on recruitment; if he will provide an estimate based on the current amount of apprentices in the OPW that will be serving their time in the next year who will also not be kept on due to the moratorium on recruitment; the number of apprentices that have been let go before serving their time since the introduction of the moratorium; if he will provide a breakdown of the trades and the years served of these apprentices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28328/11]

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Thirteen apprentices (four carpenters, three stonemasons, two fitters, two electricians, one painter and one plasterer) are scheduled to complete their training within the next year. In order to meet exceptional operational requirements at key work location, the OPW may seek the sanction of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to retain a small number of these apprentices, but at this juncture this consideration is still uncertain. Notwithstanding the requirements of the moratorium, as a matter of established practise, the OPW does not retain all of the apprentices that it trains. For instance, over the past ten years ninety-one apprentices were taken on, but only twenty-two were retained permanently on completion of training.

Since the introduction of the moratorium, the engagement of one apprentice carpenter was terminated prior to the completion of training. In addition to the foregoing, the OPW are also facilitating FÁS by providing placement for twenty-seven apprentices to complete their training under the Redundant Apprentice Programme.