Apprentices are primarily employees and all of the 66 apprenticeship programmes are subject to contracts of employment. For the majority of apprenticeships, the rate of pay is agreed between the apprentice and the employer with the employer paying the apprentice during both on-the-job and off-the-job training elements of the programme.
For the 25 craft apprenticeship programmes, the rates of pay applying under the employment contract are either agreed within the relevant sector, or are set out in legally binding Sectoral Employment Orders recommended by the Labour Court.
On that basis, any review of those rates currently payable is a matter for negotiation and agreement under the appropriate industrial relations structures in place. Therefore, it would not be appropriate for me to be involved in the determination of apprenticeship pay or training rates.
It is important to note that, while rates do vary between occupations and sectors, in all cases craft apprenticeship rates are expressed as a proportion of a qualified rate, increasing yearly from 33% of the qualified rate in year one to 90% in year four.
In relation to your specific question, Periods of off-the-job training for craft apprentices are funded from the National Training Fund with payments of the agreed rate made directly to apprentices by the education and training boards during this time.
Additionally, it should be noted that as employees, eligible apprentices are also entitled to access general employment supports through the social welfare system. This option is open to any employee, apprentice or not, who finds themselves in difficulty.
There are also allowances paid to craft apprentices such as travel, accommodation, and meal allowances. A copy of the current rates for these allowances are attached. These allowances are being examining in the context of the upcoming Estimates process.
Apprenticeship Travel and Accommodation Allowance
Accommodation Allowance – Allowance Rate
|
|
Daily Rate
|
Weekly Rate
|
|
Maximum Rate Payable
|
€13.98
|
€69.90
|
|
Meal Allowance
|
0.80c
|
€4.00
|
Please note: If an apprentice is in receipt of an accommodation allowance, travel allowances are not payable
Travel Allowances
The payment of travel allowances for apprentices is based on the location of the apprentice’s residency for the duration of the programme and not on the location of the apprentice’s workplace location.
Apprentice Travel Allowance
|
Miles
|
Kilometres
|
Applicable Rate
|
|
03 - 05 miles
|
05 - 08 kilometres
|
€4.60
|
|
05 - 10 miles
|
08 - 16 kilometres
|
€11.90
|
|
10 - 20 miles
|
16 - 32 kilometres
|
€17.60
|
|
20 - 30 miles
|
32 - 48 kilometres
|
€21.60
|
|
30 - 40 miles
|
48 - 64 kilometres
|
€27.70
|
|
40 + miles
|
64+ kilometres
|
€32.60
|
Please note: If an apprentice is in receipt of a travel allowances, accommodation allowances are not payable
