Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 May 2014
235. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the impact on apprentices arising from the changes made to their payment while studying in the institutes of technology from being that of a FÁS allowance to a SOLAS payment; if these payments are now taxed; and if the apprentice is now at a financial disadvantage vis-à-vis last year. [20924/14]
View answerFollowing the dissolution of FÁS, responsibility for the Apprenticeship Programme transferred to SOLAS.
Participants on an off the job phase of the SOLAS Apprenticeship Programme attending an Institute of Technology are paid a SOLAS training allowance based on the gross wage norms relating to their particular trade. The amounts of these allowances remain unchanged from last year and are not subject to taxation and thus apprentices are not at a financial disadvantage vis-à-vis last year.
