Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a free retraining scheme will be provided for unemployed construction workers to enable them to retrain as installers of water meters; the discussions he has had with Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government in relation to ensuring that these unemployed workers will be able to access these jobs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13391/13]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason Solas, FÁS, has insisted that only qualified plumbers may avail of funding for training courses to engage in work relating to the installation of water meters; the reason unemployed general construction workers cannot be trained to do this work and be funded by Solas, FÁS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13393/13]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 68 and 85 together.

I am also informed that FÁS have outlined to Irish Water that qualified Plumbers would have the required skills for the installation of boundary boxes and water meters as this work is covered as part of the four year QQI accredited FÁS Plumbing Apprenticeship. However, it is not a matter for FÁS but ultimately a decision for Irish Water to decide on the qualification requirements relating to water meter installation and should Irish Water decide that qualified plumbers have the required skill sets to install their water meters, then the question of the state 'providing a free retraining scheme for unemployed construction workers to enable them to retrain as installers of water meters' does not arise in view of the levels of unemployed persons with such qualifications.