asked the Minister for Labour whether it is proposed to alter the ratio between the number of instructors and apprentices at AnCO training centres; and if he will provide details of any such changes.

Negotiations are currently taking place between the management of AnCO and the Workers' Union of Ireland on a productivity agreement, an element of which would be the ratio between the number of instructors and apprentices at AnCO training centres. Pending the conclusion of these negotiations, it would not be appropriate for me to elaborate on the proposed agreement.

Is it possible for the Minister to give a blank figure in a situation like this on the lines of the primary school 30 children per teacher? Is it possible to say what is the optimum figure in the AnCO situation?

It varies between skills. A balance has to be struck between an economic ratio and a practical ratio. To give an example, in some skills it may be one instructor to 12 trainees and in other cases it may vary. In motor mechanics and special types of welding the ratio is lower—one to eight or one to six.

The Minister will not be impeded in any way by lack of finance in achieving the optimum in his negotiations with the unions who are concerned with productivity agreements but ultimately, presumably, the Minister hopes for what he considers to be the optimum ratio in each trade. Will he be inhibited in any way by lack of finance?

I would expect not. Pending the conclusion of these negotiations I would not like to make any statement on it, but my desire would be that it should be economically acceptable and practically beneficial to the apprentices and the trainees concerned.

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