The Taoiseach has regularly held up as an achievement during his time as Minister for higher education the area of apprenticeships. We all agree that they are essential. I wish to raise with him an issue, however, because, despite all his rhetoric, our craft apprenticeship system is in fact in crisis. The number of craft apprentices waiting to undertake their off-the-job training has risen to about 9,000 a year. People are waiting because of a shortage of craft instructors. This has very real implications and consequences for young apprentices, including the level of pay they receive. We also now see significant dropout rates, amounting to almost 1,000 apprentices every year since 2020. Some of them are packing their bags and heading for Australia, so this is a very serious matter. Qualified apprentices are, as the Taoiseach said last year, "critical for our societal well-being, and ... critical for our future". I share that view, but he needs to tell us directly what he will do, which he has not done so far, to put a stop to this and ensure that those thousands of young apprentices can get their off-the-job training, can remain here and can qualify and contribute here rather than in the southern hemisphere.

I share Deputy McDonald's view on the importance of apprenticeships. I was very pleased as Minister for further and higher education to see the highest number of newly registered apprentices ever in the history of the State last year. That is a good thing. We have also seen the expansion of the number of apprenticeship programmes. That is also a good thing. The Deputy is right that some people are waiting too long. The numbers are now falling, though, and SOLAS has produced a plan, which I know Deputy Mairéad Farrell will be familiar with, to eradicate the backlog for those waiting longer than they should be in terms of their phase 2 training. I will get Deputy McDonald the most up-to-date figures. I will write to her on the matter.