The Government is only paying "lip service" to trades such as plumbing and carpentry because it is not providing enough places for apprentices to train at third level, the Labour Party TD, Ms Mary Upton, has claimed.
She said reports in The Irish Times that about 2,000 apprentices are waiting to get third-level training showed there were serious "inadequacies in our education system".
"We should be doing far more to encourage young people to develop skills in trades such as plumbing and carpentry. But this will only happen if we put the proper resources into education provision for apprentices."
She said she would attempt to secure a debate in the Dail on the matter and would raise the issue with the new Minister for Education and Science, Mr Woods.