Education and Training Provision

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 April 2022

Thursday, 28 April 2022

Questions (244)

Holly Cairns

Question:

244. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the steps he is taking to address the shortage of safe pass courses. [21652/22]

Written answers

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science

Under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2013, craft and general construction workers, persons undertaking on-site security work and persons or classes of persons as may be prescribed by the relevant Minister are required to hold a safety awareness registration card (Safe Pass card).

Safe Pass training and assessment is delivered by SOLAS Approved Training Organisations (ATOs) and tutors. These are private providers and neither the Department nor SOLAS have a role in the setting of fees or in influencing pricing structure within the market place. As it is a demand-led programme, class sizes vary. Safe Pass tutors generally teach anything between 10 to 20 participants, depending on the demand. 

Safe Pass training and assessment delivery had previously mirrored construction sector activity during the COVID-19 period and this has now fully recommenced. SOLAS is not experiencing any backlog regarding Safe Pass training provision. From April through to December 2021 aligned with the reopening of Construction, SOLAS issued 83,000 safe pass cards in total.

SOLAS is continuing to work on the development of an alternative online training and assessment delivery model which is equitable with existing Safe Pass, CSCS and QSCS course delivery in being accessible to all eligible workers, providing real time course participant supports and ensuring assessment integrity. First time applicants will be required to complete face to face training and assessment as per the current practice, with a choice of online or face-to-face delivery for those renewing their cards.

In keeping with procurement procedures and government guidelines SOLAS went to tender for this service in June 2021, and will appoint a successful candidate/organisation shortly.