Michael D. Higgins
Question:35 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the crisis facing 2,000 apprentices who cannot complete their training due to insufficient third level places. [7114/00]
Written Answers. - Third Level Places.
Apprentice numbers have expanded significantly in recent years as a result of the growth in the construction industry and the economy generally. Apprentice registrations were 4,734 in the academic year 1996-97, rose to 6,070 in 1997-98 and increased to 6,832 in 1998-99. The need for additional capacity in institutes of technology to cater for these increases is being addressed in conjunction with the institutes.
A major capital investment programme to provide extra capacity is in train and extra facilities will be provided in Cork, Dublin, Dundalk, Limerick, Sligo and Waterford Institutes of Technology as quickly as possible.
Meanwhile, my Department has provided the institutes with additional resources to enable them to expand existing programmes where possible. Extra staff has been sanctioned and additional funding is being provided to meet the cost of extra courses. In the two financial years 1998 and 1999 a total of £6 million of additional recurrent funding was provided to fund additional courses. A further £5 million extra is being provided this year. As a result of the measures taken to-date, the number of apprentices catered for in the educational system has increased from approximately 4,000 in 1997-1998 to 6,700 in 1998-99 and to 7,200 in the current academic year.
In order to address the current shortfall in places efforts are being made to expand capacity as a matter of urgency in a number of centres, particularly in the Dublin region. In addition my Department has developed proposals for a sum mer course and is liaising with the institutes of technology with a view to putting in place the necessary arrangements.