asked the Minister for Labour if he will prepare a register of names of young people who are unemployed and who have not yet completed their period of apprenticeship.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Register of Young Unemployed.
27.
The information sought by the Deputy is concerned with day-to-day activities of FÁS. I would suggest, therefore, that the Deputy contact FÁS direct in the matter.
Is the Minister aware that neither FÁS nor the Department of Social Welfare keep a register of the thousands of young people unemployed who have yet to complete their apprenticeship? Furthermore, is he aware that such young people are considered to be half-backed apprentices with little or no hope of obtaining employment? I had hoped that the compilation of such a register would give employers some incentive to help those thousands of young people to complete their apprenticeship period, when they could then at least compete equally with everybody else by way of employment. I am amazed that the Minister is telling me that no such register is available in the Department of Labour.
I did not tell the Deputy that. What I said was that the information sought by the Deputy was concerned with the day-to-day activities of FÁS and that it should be ascertained directly from them. In fact FÁS do maintain a register of unemployed apprentices. Therefore the information should be readily available from FÁS.
Is the Minister aware that FÁS will take on a young boy or girl as an apprentice for one and a half years, and then they are asked to seek sponsorship to complete their apprenticeship? Would he agree that that is most unsatisfactory for such young people, that FÁS should provide them with three of their five years apprenticeship or, alternatively, should not take on such young people at all. It is an injustice to them. I know there is no register of such young people either in FÁS or the Department of Social Welfare. I asked the same question of previous Governments and I was told that that information was not available. Would the Minister not agree that it is a pity that thousands of young people, half-baked apprentices, are allowed to stray around the country, and find themselves at a total disadvantage when they apply for employment? Would the Minister convey my sentiments to the Minister for Labour in the hope of having such a register compiled immediately?
The Deputy appears to be misunderstanding me. What I am saying is that the Minister, as such, has not a list, that the register of unemployed apprentices is available in FÁS. Therefore, if the Deputy contacts FÁS they should be able to supply him with the information he requires, it being part of their day-to-day activities.
That would seem to dispose of Questions for today.
As you have ruled my Private Notice Question out of order, Sir, may I seek your permission to raise on the Adjournment the threat being posed to our marine environment by the proposal of the British company to dump radioactive nuclear wastes in a concrete doughnut around Rockall?
I will communicate with the Deputy. We have concluded Questions rather earlier than anticipated. What does the House wish to do? Shall we suspend the sitting until 3.45 p.m.? Agreed.
Sitting suspended at 3.40 p.m. and resumed at 3.45 p.m.