Yesterday morning I raised the matter of the harsh cut by the Government of maternity benefit to women who are on leave having their babies, It is important to reiterate the point I made that we are in a male dominated environment in the Oireachtas.

The senior civil servants who draw up the budgets are also male-dominated. A lack of respect is shown to women who have babies while working and putting their energies into their jobs. It is not easy to be pregnant while working. It is physically demanding. The men in the Department of Finance have made a cold and ruthless decision to cut maternity benefit.

Hear, hear.

It is shameful. This is not the first time I have suggested that senior financial officials, with their big salaries and big pensions, are insensitive to what is happening in reality.

What about your pensions?

We had a very interesting session with the Minister for Social Protection yesterday. She put her heart and soul into the afternoon. I drew attention to the issue of apprenticeships in Ireland during that debate. Angela Merkel and David Cameron are working together to help Britain to emulate the outstanding apprenticeship system in Germany. Most parents in Ireland traditionally want their children to be doctors, lawyers or barristers. Trade and commerce are not looked down at in Germany, whereas the conventional wisdom here is that the professions are the way to go. Germany has a very successful economy with very little unemployment and very little youth unemployment

Is the Senator looking for a debate on this matter?

I will conclude on this point. Germany has 342 recognised apprenticeships, ranging from bankers to opticians. Ireland has just 29. The Minister is talking about presenting an Irish plan for youth unemployment to the EU and seeing how we will get on. I am saying that he should develop a relationship with companies immediately to ensure that young people are given work experience. Rather than paying them unemployment benefit for six months before they can get a job, we should encourage companies to take them on so they can learn on the job. The Government would then compensate such companies for the money they would pay to young people. How can they learn-----

The Senator is way over time.

I want a debate with the Minister, Deputy Bruton, on this issue.

Okay.

He is the man in charge, but he is ducking it.

The Senator is way over time.

In Germany, one must have work experience and an apprenticeship before one can get a proper job.

As there are just six minutes left, I ask the six Senators who have yet to speak to confine their remarks to a minute each.