Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 July 2016
102. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills to list the category 2 and category 3 apprenticeships referred to in the 2015 Apprenticeship Council report on new apprenticeship programme proposals; when he will complete these categories and operationalise them for immediate roll-out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20005/16]
View answerI understand that the Apprenticeship Council has provided feedback to category 2 and 3 consortia in relation to their proposals. Consortia engaged with the call for proposals on the basis that details would only be published of proposals approved for progression to a detailed planning stage. At this stage, I do not propose to publish details of category 2 and 3 proposals.
The Programme for Government commits to providing a total of 31,000 places by 2020 on existing and new apprenticeships. SOLAS and the Apprenticeship Council are preparing a 3 year plan to deliver on the Programme for Government commitments, which will include managing the pipeline of new apprenticeships already identified by the Apprenticeship Council, including those in categories 2 and 3 and looking at the timing and nature of new calls for proposals.
