David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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690. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if her attention has been drawn to the fact that crane drivers are being hired without having completed proper training and that employment agencies are supplying letters to approved training centres stating that six months of training has been completed by persons, although this is not the case; if the Health and Safety Authority has been made aware of this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5746/17]

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2013 (S.I. No. 291 of 2013) there is a requirement that Tower Crane Operators, Self-Erecting Tower Crane Operators, Mobile Crane Operators and Crawler Crane Operators to have a valid Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card in order to carry out any of these tasks on a construction site. The Regulations allow for prohibition on false statements by persons applying for CSCS cards.

SOLAS, the Further Education and Training Authority which comes under the auspices of the Department of Education and Skills, is responsible for the operation and governance of the CSCS including the registration and monitoring of the approved training organisations.

The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) conducts an annual programme of inspections in the sector which is linked to the 2017 Action Plan of the Construction Safety Partnership Advisory Committee. The HSA supports the CSCS as part of the training structures for construction sector, but its primary involvement with the Scheme is in requesting the presentation by construction workers of valid registration cards in the course of on-site inspections.

My officials have informed the Department of Education and Skills, SOLAS and the HSA about the matter raised by the Deputy.  However, if the Deputy has specific information relating to false statements supporting applications for CSCS cards, he should bring such details to the direct attention of SOLAS and the HSA.