Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 27 March 2025
26. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his attention has been drawn to the shortage of places in a trade sector (details supplied); the actions he will take to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14505/25]
View answerA priority for my department remains the continued growth of the national apprenticeship system to meet Ireland’s skills needs now and into the future.
Pipefitting is a craft apprenticeship programme that takes 4 years to complete, with off-the-job training phases delivered through Education Training Boards (ETBs) and Technological Universities (TUs).
Munster Technological University (MTU) is currently the sole provider of phase 6 off-the-job training for pipefitting at its Bishopstown campus.
At the end of February 2025 there were 414 pipefitting apprentices nationally, of which two were waiting for phase 6 off-the-job training.
SOLAS have advised that these two apprentices completed their phase 5 on-the-job training within the last four to five weeks, at which point they joined the national waiting list for phase 6 training, and that these apprentices are not currently delayed in their training.
In response to increased demand, MTU has boosted its capacity to deliver phase six pipefitting training from 32 places in 2019 to 48 in 2024.
In 2024 a small team of lecturers equating to two to three whole time equivalents delivered three intakes of pipefitting training with 16 apprentices in each intake.
In 2025 there is capacity to continue delivering 48 pipefitting phase 6 training places.
MTU are actively working with SOLAS to monitor training capacity and ensure sufficient supply of apprenticeship training places.
