THERE has been a call on Killarney Municipal District Council to employ its own plumber, an electrician and a carpenter to ensure necessary repairs to local authority houses are carried out in a more expeditious manner.
Cllr Donal Grady said the council needs to set the wheels in motion as people are having to wait too long to have necessary repairs conducted their homes which remain in council ownership.
“We no longer have these tradespeople employed and, when we have to look elsewhere, there is a long wait,” he said.
“We must show the way here – we need to employ specialist people to do specialist jobs. We are depending on somebody else all the time,” Cllr Grady said.
He asked local authority management to offer apprenticeships to people wishing to learn a trade.
Council officials said, in response, that housing maintenance and repairs are carried out by contract, procured from frameworks, and there have been no reported issues about delays or performances.
“There are no plans to alter this working arrangement at present,“ the council hierarchy insisted.
They conceded, however, that it is intended to develop an apprenticeship programme with proper coaching, mentoring and training.
Council management said potential suitable work areas across the organisation are being examined in association with the local authority’s human resources department with union engagement.
The council plans to engage with SOLAS – the State agency tasked with improving further education and training opportunities – which has statutory responsibility for the administration and management of apprenticeship programme with a view to its advancement.
