Apprenticeship Programmes
Dail Éireann — 2022-03-08
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Rose Conway-Walsh (SF), Mayo

I thank the Minister. Last year saw only 1,798 apprentices become fully qualified tradespeople. This is close to 600 fewer than the number in 2020. It represents the lowest number of newly qualified tradespeople since 2017. The Minister know this is not as a result of the lack of interest of young people in taking up apprenticeships or a lack of demand from the construction sector. It is being caused by a lack of capacity in the off-site classroom training that each apprentice needs to progress.
I welcome the capital funding. It is vital and badly needed. I want to see some of it go to Ballyhaunis, which made a proposal last June for a further education and training centre. As well as facilitating existing classes the funding will facilitate apprenticeships. I want to single out Ballyhaunis which, as the Minister knows, has dozens of foreign nationals. The community is doing a brilliant job to build the capacity of these people. Having a centre would make all the difference.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2022-03-08/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:50:13+00:00
Sitting date: 2022-03-08