Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 May 2021
595. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 1315 of 21 April 2021, if he will provide further detail on apprenticeship salary costs which are distinct from apprenticeship training allowances as shown in the expenditure breakdown provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23727/21]
View answer596. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 1315 of 21 April 2021, if he will provide further detail on the expenditure item non-allowance referred to in the expenditure breakdown provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23728/21]
View answer597. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 1315 of 21 April 2021, if the cost of a craft apprentice provided contains the expenditure on off-the-job training provided through further education; the location within which this is contained in the cost breakdown provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23729/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 595, 596 and 597 together.
The cost of delivering an apprenticeship within an Institute of Technology/Technological University/Education and Training Board includes administrative, quality assurance and programme support for apprentices while they are on the job as well as off-the-job training phases. For example staff such as Authorised Officers conduct employer assessments for authorisation to recruit apprentices as well as awareness building and quality assurance. As such the cost of programme delivery is not broken down into off-the-job training and other elements.
The figures provided in the 2019 Expenditure Review were based on the total average annual cost per apprentice, including training allowance where relevant for craft apprentices. Given the location of craft apprentice off-the-job training across further and higher education institutions, the average annual figure includes off-the-job training delivery costs across the full tertiary education system.
In relation to the specific questions raised by the Deputy in relation to the explanation of the line items provided:
- Apprenticeship training allowances are the payments made to craft apprentices who attend off-the-job training (Phases 2,4 and 6).
- Apprenticeship salary costs refer to the staffing costs within the ETB for the delivery of apprenticeship programmes.
- Non-allowance expenditure is the cost to the ETB of delivering apprenticeship programmes (excluding salary costs).
