asked the Minister for Labour the arrangements, if any, that exist to assist apprentices who have been unable to complete their apprenticeships due to employers going out of business.
Written Answers. - Apprentice Redundancies.
14.
I would refer the Deputy to my reply to a similar question on 6 June 1985 (Vol. 395 No. 4 of the Official Report), when I explained the arrangements to help such apprentices and indicated my satisfaction with them in the context of AnCO's limited resources.
As I explained, there is a statutory obligation for an employer to notify AnCO one month in advance of a decision to terminate the employment of an apprentice. AnCO then make every effort to enable the apprentice to continue the apprenticeship, by taking one or more of the following measures:
(a) seeking, in conjunction with the National Manpower Service, another employer to enable the apprentice to continue his/her apprenticeship;
(b) providing "updating of skills" courses in AnCO and other recognised training centres;
(c) assigning him/her to a block release course in regional technical colleges;
(d) placing him/her with a suitable employer on a temporary basis.
All unemployed and redundant apprentices who are notified to AnCO are issued with a brochure giving advice and details of procedures for unemployed apprentices.