Roscommon property developer Sean Mulryan has been praised in the Seanad for his new apprenticeship bursary.
The 500,000 euro fund will encourage young people to take up construction apprenticeships.
It's available for five years for people who were born, educated or are living in Roscommon.
Castlerea senator Gareth Scahill praised the fund - outlining how he met Mulryan at a recent event: