Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 May 2021
309. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department has considered whether opportunities for lifelong learning should be built into the social insurance system. [25554/21]
View answerIncreasing participation in lifelong learning is a key priority for this Government. The National Skills Strategy 2025 set a target to increase the number of those aged 25-64 engaged in lifelong learning to 10% by 2020 and to 15% by 2025.
The social insurance system is currently used to collect the training levy that resources activity supported through the National Training Fund (NTF). The National Training Fund was established by the National Training Fund Act, 2000 to raise the skills of those in employment, provide training to those who wish to acquire skills for the purposes of taking up employment, and provide information in relation to existing, or likely future, requirements for skills in the economy. This places the Fund at the heart of funding arrangements for lifelong learning.
The NTF is financed via a levy on employers of 1.0% of reckonable earnings in respect of employees in PRSI classes A and H employment. This represents approximately 75% of all insured employees.
Funding from the NTF is allocated by the Minister of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, in accordance with the provisions of the National Training Fund Act, 2000. The NTF was originally primarily used to support activity through the national network of training centres, but has expanded over time, and now supports a wider skills agenda, including through Higher Education and employer-led provision. Supported by a broader reform programme, the NTF levy increased by 0.3% between 2018 and 2020, allowing an additional €190 million to be invested in key skill priority areas. In 2020 there was an additional €100 million allocated to the NTF as part of the July Jobs Stimulus to help those most affected by the pandemic. This investment has continued into 2021 where a continuation in upskilling and reskilling means the total expenditure from the NTF this year is €741 million.
