A Waterford TD has launched a five-year plan on apprenticeships.
The plan aims to provide over 45,000 apprenticeship places by 2022, and increase the number of apprenticeship programmes from 30 to 100.
Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Trade and Workers Rights and Waterford TD is David Cullinane:
"We've had almost no apprenticeships rolled out in this state over the last ten years; they are traditionally in sectors like construction and other sectors.
"In European Union terms, I think we're well behind in terms of the type of apprenticeship schemes that we roll out.
"We have a situation where the vast majority of school leavers have to get a job or to go in to college and go to college and there simply have to be other opportunities for those who don't want to take that route.
"But the opportunities are just not there for them right now."
