Vol. 513 No. 3
122 Ms Clune asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if her attention has been drawn to the concerns of the construction industry regarding the availability of off the job training for apprentices; the proposals, if any, she has to address the situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2638/00]
The number of new apprentice registrations from September 1995 until September 1999 in trades within the construction industry rose from 2,517 to 5,281, an increase of about 110%. This has resulted in an unprecedented increase in the demand for training places on the required off the job courses in FÁS and in particular in the Institutes of Technology. The increase in demand has led to difficulties with the timely placement of apprentices in off the job training because of the weight of numbers involved.
I have met representatives of the Construction Industry Federation and have discussed the current difficulties regarding off the job training places in FÁS and in the Institutes of Technology. FÁS and the education sector have responded to the shortage by significantly expanding their apprenticeship capacities. However, despite the significant increase in the number of places available for off the job training, there remain current capacity problems. The situation is being kept under close review by the board of FÁS and the National Apprenticeship Advisory Committee, and FÁS and the Department of Education and Science are intensifying their efforts to provide adequate places to meet the demand and to keep delays to a minimum.
A number of proposals are also being considered by the National Apprenticeship Advisory Committee to address the capacity problems, in particular in relation to the education sector.
