Water metering – more twists and turns – Deputy Seán Crowe

Dublin South West Sinn Féin TD Seán Crowe has called on Government Ministers to explain why people wishing to avail of training that would allow them to install water metres are being charged €1000 by private contractors when in the past this type of training would have been carried out by FAS. He also said that the Minister needed to publicise the fact that completing this course will not necessary guarantee a job.

Crowe raised the matter with Education Minister Ruairí Quinn and Junior Employment Minister Ciaran Cannon during a meeting of the Jobs, Social Protection and Education Committee.

Deputy Crowe said: “The ongoing fiasco surrounding the Government’s attempts to introduce water charges has taken another twist with the news that a private company is to charge up to €1000 for training that would qualify people to install water meters. This makes a mockery of the Government’s positive spin which claimed one of the benefits of introducing water charges would be the creation of thousands of new jobs.

“The Minister needs to clarify why anyone wishing to avail of the training will have to pay such a hefty fee. He also needs to publically state that if a person completes this training then then they will still not be guaranteed employment.

“Some people already have paid for this training yet there are thousands of unemployed plumbers and tradesmen with job experience and the skills that are needed to install meters. It is unlikely that many people who pay €1000 for upskilling will get a job upon competing their training.”