Maeve O'Connell
Dublin Rathdown · Fine Gael · Ireland
“I take this opportunity to raise awareness about lipoedema. As Deputy Sherlock said, one in 11 women or girls has it. That is one member of your camogie or football team or two in your leaving certificate class, at least. That is how significant this is. I know the Minister is a huge advocate for women's healthcare.”
“As the Minister of State may be aware, and no doubt he is, the cost and availability of childcare are two of the biggest issues in our society. It is certainly an issue in Deputy Currie's constituency and it is very much an issue in my constituency of Dublin Rathdown as well.”
“I am glad to hear about the nature of the viability of facilities because, unfortunately, one of the issues that is occurring is that as developments are put in place they provide facilities for childcare but it is often an empty shell. It is not necessarily fit for purpose for that particular community.”
“I would like an update on the review of the 2001 planning guidelines for local authorities on early learning and childcare settings. It is 25 years since they were set out and a lot has changed in our society, in our childcare needs and in best practice for childcare.”
“We certainly need to look at it in the short term and, in the long term, we need to build some type of flexibility into the system, an adaptation over time, if perhaps we do not need as many spaces in future. For now, we do need to be moving to a more realistic ratio of childcare places to homes as we increasingly urbanise.”
“The only comparator I have to the impact AI is having on higher education is Covid, which resulted in everybody having to work from home and teaching going online. However, there is one key difference. With Covid, there was always the expectation that eventually we would return to campuses and more familiar operations.”
The complete record
Every one of 174 lines we hold for Maeve O'Connell, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 2 of 4.
“I was very disappointed to discover that my own local authority, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, has had just six successful minor works applications in the last ten years. This is despite the fact that many areas only escaped flooding this time because the most intense rain fell on other areas just a couple of kilometres away. It was just luck this time round. Areas such as Stillorgan and Kilmacud are recognised flood risks. I know there have been multiple reports both to Uisce Éireann and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. Even with normal rainfall levels, wastewater systems have overrun on those roads and we have had water spilling out. This a very real public health risk and is doing untold damage, repeatedly, to the local environment.”
“The builders and the families are also frustrated because they are rebuilding what they had just built in the first place. These were homes in Cookstown Lane that people had only moved into in the last year. They had only decorated them in the last few months. Their frustration is accentuated by the concern that they could end up doing all of this again next winter if we do not have mitigation systems in place. I acknowledge that the Government has done a lot to try to prepare for flooding. I particularly praise the Minister of State for increasing the maximum funding for a minor flood mitigation works project from €750,000 to €2 million last year. It is good to make the funding available, but money alone will not get the solutions in place without having boots on the ground and getting the works done.”
“Unfortunately, as several other people have said here today, it is not unusual anymore. Met Éireann is repeatedly warning us that due to climate change, storms and intense bursts of heavy rain are going to become the norm. Our Departments, State agencies and local authorities need to work together to figure out how to improve our flood defences now so that we are not all back here again next year having the same conversation. Two weeks ago, I visited homes and businesses in Kilternan. They have already started to repair and rebuild after the heaviest rains have subsided. I spoke with the builders the day I visited and they told me they are working 12 hours a day to repair those homes to allow the families to come back. It was raining very heavily on that day as well. They are working really hard.”
“As the Minister of State has been hearing, the rainfall we have had in recent weeks - it was raining when I was coming in here today, so we may not be past it yet - has caused considerable damage to homes and businesses, including in my constituency of Dublin Rathdown. This intense rain flooded areas including Clonskeagh, Nutgrove, Benildus Avenue, Aiken Village in Stepaside and Cookstown Lane in Kilternan. The local wastewater systems were completely overrun. Those whose homes had not been damaged by the floods found themselves caught in gridlocked traffic, blocked roads and public transport cancellations. We all know it rains a lot in Ireland. We accept that, but we cannot accept allowing our city to come to a grinding halt every time there is heavy rain, no matter how unusual it is.”
“It needs to be looked at. We need to ensure that people can access these supports because we need to have people consistently upskilling and reskilling in order to contribute to society and improve their own outcomes. Of course, we need to ensure the system is not taken advantage of but we need to provide those supports for people to encourage that lifelong learning.”
“I acknowledge the improvements that have been made to the various schemes. The overall scheme does not take into account how the world in which we are operating has changed. We are now in a world where people are expected to engage in lifelong learning. People return to education, then go back to work and then return to education. We need to demonstrate our support for that. As we know, we are also facing a housing crisis. As part of that, we are changing the rules to allow modular homes to be built on the site of the family home. We will now see in Dublin the situation that pertains in the country where people share an eircode with their family while living completely separate from them, resulting in all of the income being rolled in together. The system as originally designed is not fit for purpose in the modern era.”
“Many people in Dublin Rathdown have been in touch with me to highlight how they were not aware that, if they allowed their children to move back home, they would suddenly no longer be eligible. These are individuals who regard themselves as fully mature and independent. They just want to make a greater contribution to society and improve their own opportunities.”
“According to the Skillnet Ireland talent report for 2025, 58% of businesses report that they have difficulty in attracting required skills. There is a huge opportunity for society and for the individuals themselves in people reskilling and upskilling, thereby contributing more to society and improving their own lives. However, we are effectively putting barriers in place, preventing people from engaging in this upskilling by not enabling them to fully access all the supports that would be available to them were it not for their personal circumstances. In order to finance their return to education, people are returning to live at home, having been in rental accommodation or overseas.”
“I am taking this question on behalf of Deputy Peter Roche. Has the Department examined the impact of the current means-testing arrangements for the SUSI grant for those applicants who continue to reside in the family home and thus have to be assessed on their parental income? Obviously, the number of people in this situation is rising, potentially, because of the housing crisis. Has the Department engaged with the Department of Social Protection regarding potential reforms to these arrangements?”
“I was delighted to see the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, also here earlier. Pets are incredibly important, particularly for older people who are seeking housing, who are a significant group of those who are on these lists. I thank the Ministers of State, Deputies Lawless, O'Donnell and Cummins, for all their work in this area.”
“I thank the Minister for that reassurance. My view is that the existing wear and tear and antisocial elements of contracts would cover any of the situations that could arise with regard to pets and, therefore, I think that is unnecessary. I have been in touch with a number of different AHBs and there is a variety of policies out there already, which is interesting in itself. Some do not have any restrictions on pets, which is very good to know. Others have restrictions on dogs but not on cats. Others have restrictions except for guide dogs and service animals. Therefore, there is quite a range. This is where a very simple direction from the Minister's Department to the AHBs and local authorities publicising that would provide reassurance and comfort to families. The Minister also mentioned individuals earlier.”
“We understand that legislation is very complicated and there are various moving parts around this, but it may be useful if guidelines were issued initially just to show the direction of travel. That would reassure the people out there who are on these lists and are hoping to get housing.”
“I agree with the Minister's proposal to repeal the ban. That is only sensible and sane. This has caused unquantifiable distress to families who have been in touch with me. I will give one example of one family. They were on a social housing list and got approval. They were very excited, but only a couple of months earlier they had generously taken in their neighbour's dog when their neighbour had passed and they suddenly realised they did not know what were they going to do with this dog. The family were very distressed at the thought that they might have to give up their pet. This is just one example of the many families who have been in touch with me and that is why we are keen to get some indication as to when this will be legislated for.”
“This Bill today is actually premature, and really is just an example of where the Social Democrats are again exploiting a vulnerable group, in this case a group that cannot even speak for themselves, although my own dog, Jenko, is actually incredibly vocal and would probably have something to say on this.”
“Specifically on dog welfare control and breeding, the dog control and breeding stakeholder group, established by Fine Gael during the last Government, is expected to provide its final report and recommendations in early 2026. At EU level, the first ever EU-wide minimum standards to address puppy farms and illegal imports is near final agreement. We need to allow time for these processes, which are near completion, to be completed. Capturing the range of stakeholder, expert and wider public views with the new EU-wide minimum standards will form the basis for an updated animal welfare strategy, which will be published in 2026. Taking this time matters for improving the health and welfare of dogs. Taking this time will improve public safety and public confidence that dogs in our communities are well raised and cared for.”
“We have established a new and independently chaired advisory council on companion animal welfare and there have been improvements in dog control, with additional funding for dog wardens in all local authorities. In my constituency of Dublin Rathdown, we now have three dog wardens covering the area where previously there was just one. I know the Minister, Deputy Heydon, is fully committed to continuing improvements in this area, and I have been working with him to deliver progress. As we are all aware, planning for the updated animal welfare strategy 2026 to 2030 is under way. In support of this, I joined the Minister on November 19 to launch a six-week public consultation process. This will seek public views, which will inform the strategy. I encourage all of those listening to this debate to contribute to the consultation.”
“Since being elected to this House a little over 12 months ago, and as a long-time advocate for dog welfare, I have raised numerous areas where reform is necessary. I have called for: a single, centralised dog microchipping register; a distinct tax code for dog breeders; regulation for online sales, and increased sanctions for dog breeding and welfare violations. This is not just a matter of dog health and welfare, but also consumer protection and public safety, as poorly bred and poorly socialised dogs are more likely to exhibit antisocial and aggressive behaviour. Fine Gael has always stood for strong animal welfare protections. Recent developments include how the State now funds over 100 animal welfare organisations, with funding increasing from €2 million in 2020 to over €6 million today.”
“I am delighted to be able to speak today on a cause that is very close to my heart. My family and I have always had dogs. My current girl, Jenko, is a rescue, and I applaud all of those who work and volunteer in dog shelters and rescues for their commitment, passion and deep care. Most of those who provide day care, kennels and breed dogs have their dogs' welfare as their number one priority. Dogs are not only part of our families but they work with and alongside us, too. For example, I have worked with and supported Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind all my life. The partnership and bond between person and dog I have seen brings out the best in our humanity. Working with dogs makes us better people and there is no greater gift that a dog can give.”
“AI is coming out there. It is something that is impacting our business. We need to upskill our workers. Skillnet and numerous other providers that are capable of doing this will be looking for funds to enable employers and support them through this. How will the Minister ensure the funds from the NTF are used for the purpose for which they were originally intended if we pass this amendment?”
“We are debating something important here - the National Training Fund - but it is effectively a tax on employers. They have been quite happy to contribute to that fund over the years because ultimately they get the benefit of it from the upskilling of their current and potential future workers. While I have concerns with the proposed amendments, the spirit of what they are proposing is a concern I share as well. When the allocations for the NTF are being calculated and issued, how will the Minister ensure that they will benefit the skills sector and that the Department will not be tempted to use these moneys for other things that may not have been the intent of the original fund, potentially losing the goodwill of employers out there who need their workers to be upskilled? I am told constantly that we need new skills.”
“For example, a constituent recently highlighted to me that when doing the big family shop, her 3 km car journey from Dunnes Stores in Cornelscourt took her 45 minutes. One possible consequence of a lot of these investments has been increased motor vehicle congestion. I accept some people are definitely walking and cycling more. I know that from anecdotal evidence from constituents as well. However, others are driving more and taking longer journeys. My question, therefore, is whether overall emissions are up or down.”
“I appreciate that the Minister of State and I seem to be singing off the same hymn sheet. I attended one of the original proposal meetings on what are now called "active travel schemes" back in 2020. The overseeing consultants assured us then that traffic would just disappear if we implemented these schemes. The only real, empirical report I am aware of is on Kilmacud after new cycle lanes, road closures and various other infrastructure were implemented. It showed traffic did not disappear but was just displaced, with increased rat-running car speeds. After that particular scheme, there was actually less walking and cycling in the area. Anecdotally, my constituents in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown report that they are making longer journeys than they did five years ago.”
“After five years of investment, and counting, we still do not really have any clarity as to whether this investment is actually delivering because we do not really know whether our emissions have been reduced. We have estimates and surveys but have we actually done the assessment before all of these things were implemented, and afterwards, to see whether the emissions were actually reduced?”
“My constituency of Dublin-Rathdown has seen significant change during the past five years through the development of active travel greenways and other similar schemes. Over €80 million has been spent, with €29 million allocated in 2025 alone, to support the various commitments in the national sustainable mobility policy to get people out of cars to walk and cycle instead, as well as the climate action plan which aims to reduce transport emissions overall. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, of which I was a member, led the way on these schemes. Kilometres of lanes have been built, concrete and plastic dividers have been installed, junctions have been narrowed, filter lanes have been removed, roads have been closed and new traffic lights and traffic sequences have been installed.”
“I ask the Minister for Transport if any analysis has been conducted on the completion of active travel projects and, in particular, any impact they may have had on the carbon emissions of commuters in Dublin or across the country.”
“I am delighted to hear the comments are being taken on board. At the moment, we expect we might have to hop off a bus and onto a Luas or a DART, but we have to hop between applications as well to do it. This is not something that makes it easy for people to use our public transportation network. I appreciate the Minister of State's comments about the regional providers as well and that he is looking to include them more in terms of an overall bus network so we are not hopping between different apps. From the users' perspective, they believe there should all be one seamless process and they should not have to try to figure out who is providing which service to know how to access it. I welcome the Minister of State's comments and look forward to developments on this matter.”
“Even if it is only part of their journey and they do use other forms of transportation, if that part of the journey becomes unreliable, and people cannot rely on or navigate the apps, all of these things will be barriers to trying to get these transformations and modal shifts.”
“The Minister of State highlighted some of the issues. Deputy Currie also highlighted the issue of ghost buses and the unreliability of the app. Deputy Timmins also highlighted this issue as well. It is also very frustrating that there is not one single accessible platform. There are effectively five different apps that people might find themselves having to interact with to plan their journey. There is the journey planner, a taxi driver database and the Leap top-up. It is really extraordinarily complicated, particularly for someone who is new to it or not digitally savvy, for whatever reason. Addressing this type of issue really needs to be important if we are going to encourage people to rely on public transport and give up their car and move to public transport.”
“They will encourage children to view STEM subjects as exciting, to take them up in school and to pursue a scientific career or even just tech-related hobbies, thus providing a level of support for and contribution to the knowledge economy that we so urgently need to maintain. By working with the current stakeholders and operators of science museums here in Ireland and harnessing their expertise, we could develop an attractive, exciting, accessible and affordable world-class science centre for Ireland. Today, during Science Week, I ask that the Minister of State and her Department take the lead on delivering on this potential and develop a world-class science centre for Ireland.”
“They have also created international connections with other science museums as they regularly take on board some of the travelling exhibits. The board of the Irish Children's Museum Company Limited obviously brings its scientific expertise, passion and determination. Much has been written and spoken recently about the need to deliver on projects, to stop all of the project planning and to actually get projects built. We need to take leadership of the science museum project and get delivery. It is important that the Department of further and higher education take the lead on this. We want to encourage that spark in children and young people and encourage their early interest in science, to make science accessible and exciting to them. These early encounters with science are critical.”
“In the spirit of Science Week, I want to ask the Minister of State to urge the Department to take on a sponsorship role in the development of a national science centre for Dublin. By working together with Explorium and the Irish Children's Museum Company Limited, the sponsors of the proposed city centre site, there is potential to create a viable, sustainable and world-class science centre for Ireland. Of course, any museum of this scale would require some State support. We must get something effective from the millions of euro we have already invested in a science museum. The operators of Explorium have shown that they can operate a science museum successfully in Ireland. They have demonstrated that they understand the market, demand and opportunities.”
“Its large, open site also provides scope for expansion, perhaps to include agriscience, especially with a link to the UCD school of veterinary medicine, which is close by, and Airfield, the city farm. However, having two competing museums so close to each other would threaten the viability of both. The closure of the Science Gallery demonstrates the challenge of the ongoing operating costs of science museums. Museums in Europe like the Leonardo da Vinci Museum of Science and Technology in Milan and the Deutsches Museum in Munich show the key role of private investment and ongoing sponsorship, which are essential. It is also critical that we consider the value for money of investing further in yet another science museum in Dublin.”
“There is also a third potential science museum for the city centre, which has been in the planning since 2003. This has already had €4.2 million of taxpayers' funds invested in it but we still do not have a museum. Cost overruns and delays have been the subject of many media reports, including a "Prime Time" programme. The Comptroller and Auditor General has also written several reports on it. The most recent one highlighted a number of serious concerns with the ongoing project, including a lack of governance and in particular a lack of a Department sponsor, which may have contributed to the delays and cost overruns. The Explorium in the foothills of the Dublin Mountains has shown that it possible to create and operate a science centre that caters to all ages.”
“Despite having to close almost immediately after opening, it has survived. It demonstrates the public demand, support and interest in educational science. It is located in the foothills of the Dublin Mountains and has an impressive 10,000 sq. m. footprint with scope for expansion. I have visited Explorium and have seen how many schools take the opportunity to visit it. It is a science education day for students but because they enjoy the experience so much, many come back with their friends and family. It also has a resource for children with autism, which is regularly used with people just dropping. It has a fully resourced sensory space. This is also a valuable educational tool for everyone to understand the challenges that certain students and children have.”
“For example, most science museums are only now starting to develop their AI areas and upgrading their existing displays to take into account the impact artificial intelligence is having on existing technologies. In Ireland, we have the knowledge of how challenging it is to run a science centre. In 2008, the Science Gallery opened in Trinity College Dublin and I visited multiple times. It put on fantastic exhibits. It was established with private sponsors from the science and tech industries from here and abroad. It was also supported by some public investment. However, after struggling through Covid-19, it closed in 2022 due a failure to find a lack of sustainable, ongoing funding. In my constituency of Dublin Rathdown, the Explorium science centre opened in 2018, just before Covid-19.”
“The big science museums in Europe have been built over decades. They have received major donations. The museum in Milan had trams, trains, airplanes, rockets, helicopters and ships on display, all of which had been donated over the years. The collection was built up over the years through donations from private benefactors, sponsors for exhibits and some state support. The challenge for a science museum is that it requires regular updates, which are costly. What is cutting-edge today will be a museum piece tomorrow. I have seen versions of my older mobile phones in museums and it does make me feel that I am ageing somewhat. It is an example of how exhibits have to be constantly updated. They have to be updated as new technology emerges.”
“Although I trained as a lawyer, science has always been part of my life. My mother was a dentist and my father was an engineer. They encouraged us to watch every television show on science. They subscribed to the New Scientist magazine and the National Geographic to encourage a love of science in us. My sister got the bug and she went on to get her PhD in chemistry. She and her husband have worked very successfully in biotech and pharma both here and abroad over the past number of years. When we travelled, we also visited science museums and I continue that tradition to this very day. I was in Milan a couple of weeks ago and the one museum I took time to visit was the Leonardo da Vinci science museum and I very much enjoyed my visit. Establishing and maintaining a science museum is challenging.”
“One is in Grangegorman, which is quite a small site overall, and a major site in Blanchardstown. However, they are lacking borrowing capacities and without this have no chance of being able to develop these sites. What is the timeline for the establishment of this borrowing framework, which is a commitment in the programme for Government, to enable the technological universities to get on with building accommodation for students and apprentices?”
“I thank the Taoiseach. I am delighted to hear that he was a fellow tea-drinker as well. As a Corkman, I have to assume that is good old Barry's Tea too. I welcome that. I also support our investment in research but I do not see that it is a trade-off. We need to invest in our students, but the cost of education can encourage students to work more hours and damage their education. There is another opportunity that I would like to ask about relating to the whole area of student accommodation. We have extended the 9% construction rate VAT to student accommodation but there is another opportunity we have in that regard. Recently, I visited TU Dublin, my former employer, to discuss the challenges it and other technological universities are facing. The team there identified two potential locations for building student accommodation.”
“For every family that has a child in further or higher education, or who may be starting third level in two, three, four or even five years’ time, I ask the Taoiseach to ensure that the Minister for further and higher education develops and publishes a roadmap on how to reduce the cost of education as a matter of priority.”
“This is compared to what they expected to pay when they accepted their college places in 2022 or 2023. They are also well informed. They understand that this budget was the first of five over the course of this Government and a college journey takes place over a number of years, but those in their early years are also asking how exactly we will honour the commitments that we made in the programme for Government - our commitment to reducing the student contribution fee and expanding the SUSI maintenance grant. Now is the time to give students and families clarity on how this will happen and for the Department to provide people with the right assurances and a plan of action.”
“This will not maximise their potential or support our knowledge economy. Those currently at second level are now looking to their third level education choices, discussing options with their families. Cost is a big part of that discussion because we know cost is a barrier to continuing with education. From a student and parent’s view, third level fees have increased this year versus what they paid in 2025. I hear the impact of this from students and parents in my Dublin Rathdown constituency. As I also have UCD in my constituency, I hear it from the students living in my constituency who are from all parts of Ireland. These students and parents tell me they know they have been supported over the last few years. They have saved €2,500 in the three years of their degrees, a saving they did not budget for, through the reductions in fees.”
“I take this opportunity to raise the issue of the cost of further and higher education. Is the Department planning to publish a roadmap to address the cost of education at higher and further level? As a fellow graduate of UCC, no doubt the Taoiseach will remember the days in the Kampus Kitchen or the main restaurant when he would have counted his change before buying a warming bowl of soup or cup of Barry's tea. Students today are similarly capable of making the most of every euro, but spending a couple of years in college is very expensive, even if supplemented with summer or part-time work. We have to ensure that such work is supplemental. Our students are poorly served by a Government if they have to sacrifice classes and study time working full-time to pay for college.”
“In effect, this means that the NTF has funds that it simply may not be able to disperse for the original purposes of the fund. This highlights how important it is that we are very careful in how we utilise the NTF. It relies solely on these PRSI levies, and any change to Ireland's economic fortunes can significantly impact the fund. After all, the fund was envisioned for innovation and skills and not for the institutions. I commend the Minister's commitment to the further and higher education sector in bringing forward this Bill. Through my work as Fine Gael spokesperson for further and higher education, I have heard many positive comments about the Minister's work and the Department from stakeholders throughout the sector, both from my own direct engagement and also through my work on the Oireachtas joint committee.”
“If we want to continue to promote our country as a leader in education, we need to do so by including all major players in the sector, not focus solely on our excellent, established national universities, ETBs and other institutions. Over the course of the Bill, I look forward to seeing how the Department and Minister will engage further with these important providers in consideration of these changes to the NTF. I would like to reference a recent report from the Comptroller and Auditor General. This report highlighted that due to supports such as the employment wage subsidy, which was very welcome by employers and included a reduce PRSI rate, actually resulted in over-allocation from the Social Insurance Fund to the National Training Fund.”
“A number of contributors to the Oireachtas joint committee suggested the establishment of a voucher scheme. This would enable the independent institutions to engage with the National Training Fund. This would work through employers applying for a voucher and then, effectively, being able to spend it with whatever institution they choose. One that works for them, as the employer, and for the potential apprentice. This could take into account geographical distances and such options. In the Government's effort to further develop Ireland's educational potential, it would be a mistake to completely ignore the independent and private institutions given that they educate a significant proportion of Ireland's students.”
“Given the purpose of this Bill is to enable the expenditure of a surplus of over €1 billion held in the NTF, I ask the Minister and his Department consider how else it can help facilitate this important and growing subsector of the apprenticeship sector. I understand why these procedures were initially implemented in the new industry-led consortia. That was to get the sector going. However, we are in a stronger place. We have a greater understanding of how these apprenticeships work. We should address the differences between the traditional craft and the industry-led consortia now we have the opportunity to do it with this new legislation. Along with facilitating employers, in considering this Bill we must look at the possibility of including our many independent institutions.”
“This is especially true for the SME employers, which we know are the backbone of this sector. From a business perspective, they are paying for the costs of a worker who is not actually directly working for them. To help businesses, especially in times of rising costs and economic instability, we must find every avenue to ensure the apprenticeship programmes are as accessible for businesses as possible. The employers best know the needs of their sectors. They know exactly how many workers they need and the skills those workers need to have. We need to facilitate as many effective employer-led apprenticeships as possible. One way of doing this would be to enable the NTF to cover the costs of the off-the-job training for these apprenticeships.”
“Multiple contributors to the Oireachtas joint committee, including the perspectives of employers and apprentices, have addressed the need to reconcile the differences between the traditional craft apprenticeships and the new, industry-led consortium apprenticeships. For example, let us talk about the funding of training allowances paid to apprentices during their off-the-job training periods. Funding for the traditional craft apprenticeships is covered by the NTF. This is not a cost to the employer and is consistent across the craft apprenticeships. However, this is not the case for those industry-led consortium programmes. These employers have to bear the costs of this off-the-job training, which is a strong barrier to employers taking on apprenticeships.”
“It would be a shame to see any close now without a follow-up programme put in place. As deputy chair of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, I look forward to getting into the details of the Bill, ensuring the National Training Fund remains fit for purpose and that the original principles of the Act are maintained. The fund also has potential for further developing the apprenticeships sector, as other has commented. Budget 2026 secured the largest ever investment in apprenticeships, though we must acknowledge that without employers there would be no apprenticeships so we need to make these apprenticeships more appealing to employers. We must make sure employers see that hosting apprenticeships are of benefit to them.”