Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 February 2024
199. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views with regard to the new National Training Fund (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9620/24]
View answerFinancial challenges can be a key barrier to employer participation in apprenticeship. An annual grant of €2,000 is provided for employers who employ apprentices in consortia led apprenticeships that have been established since 2016 and which do not attract payment of off-the-job training allowances. This means that employers with apprentices on two-year programmes are eligible for a payment of €4,000 over the duration of the programme, and employers with apprentices on four-year apprenticeships are eligible for a payment of €8,000.
For craft apprenticeship programmes in place before 2016, apprentices are paid a training allowance by the State while they are on off-the-job training. The allowance varies based on the phase of training and the industry or sector of the apprenticeship programme. On average the allowance is approximately €5,000 per year or approximately €20,000 over a four-year apprenticeship programme. The rate is set and reviewed periodically by the State following consultation with social partner representatives and further details are available on the Generation Apprenticeship website.
The Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 commits to consolidate the pre 2016 and post 2016 systems of apprenticeship into a single system. This would see greater alignment of the development, review, governance and funding arrangements for all apprenticeship programmes.
