Noel Ahern
Ceist:113 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to outline the cost, if any, to an employer of taking on an apprentice tradesperson; the periods when the apprentice is in the classroom environment; if the employer pays the apprentice during this period; her views on the reluctance of many employers to take an apprentice, particularly in year one, as they are perceived to be of no value to them and not on site for much of the year. [8197/99]