asked the Minister for Defence the average annual subsidy for apprentice aircraft mechanics at Baldonnel, County Dublin; if he will outline the content of their course from the first year to completion; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Apprentice Aircraft Mechanics.
23.
The purpose of the apprentice school at Baldonnel Aerodrome is to provide military tradesmen for the Air Corps. The number of apprentices undergoing training there in 1983 was 173, ranging from 1st year to 4th year of the four-year course. The total annual pay and allowances for these apprentices at current rates is in the region of £1 million.
The syllabus in the apprentice school includes technical, educational, military and physical training. In the first two years, each apprentice studies subjects dealing with general and aeronautical engineering and also undergoes a course of normal military training. On completion of training in the school, each apprentice who attains the required standard undergoes a period of two years on-the-job instruction which is devoted to practical work on airframes, aeroengines, aircraft components and aircraft. A further course in military training is undertaken in the third year of apprenticeship.
Will the Minister agree that scrubbing pots and pans is not part of the syllabus he has outlined? Did the Minister say that the four headings in the syllabus are technical, educational, military and physical training?
That is correct.
Will the Minister agree that scrubbing pots and pans and doing kitchen and Mess work is not part of that course?
There is nothing wrong with scrubbing pots and pans.
I am not saying that there is anything wrong with that work but I am interested to know if that is involved in an apprenticeship course. I am interested in the content of the course and to know if the Minister is aware that the content is not always applied for the duration of the course. Is the Minister aware that apprentices are deployed to duties which do not seem to have a relationship with the syllabus he has outlined?
I should like to point out to the Deputy that these are not civilian apprentices but military apprentices. As such they have to undertake normal military duties along with their apprenticeship duties. There is a special course geared for them so that they can be trained as soldiers and technicians. A part of the military life involves doing fatigues and I would not at all be surprised if these young men as part of their military training have to undertake fatigues in the course of their four-year apprenticeship. The fact is that they would be required to undertake fatigues — I do not know what level of fatigues they are asked to undertake, the exact nature of them and whether they are kitchen fatigues or others — but I am satisfied that this is a high-class training course and that the graduates are extremely well qualified aircraft technicians.
Will the Minister agree that having those apprentices on those fatigues for two or three months takes from the training input on aircrafts? Will the Minister undertake to investigate this matter to see if these practices are currently in operation?
I have never had any complaints up to now about the level of this course, the standard of instruction or the competence of the graduates. I have confidence in the military authorities who organise and run these courses to run them in the best interest of the pupils and of the Defence Forces. If the Deputy has some specific matter in mind that he wishes to raise with me he may do so and I will have it investigated. However, I would be very surprised if the courses are conducted in such a way as to prejudice the technical competence of those who come through the course.
We must move on to the next business. Deputy Tunney has arrived in the Chamber and he will be drawing my attention to the fact that I am out of time.
I accept the offer of the Minister to take this matter up with him. From the information available to me the deployment of apprentices on fatigues arises out of a failure to recruit adequate numbers to undertake the duties concerned.
The remaining questions will appear on next Tuesday's Order Paper.