Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 September 2025
984. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is aware of the serious delays in completing college phases of apprenticeship (details supplied); the steps being taken to remedy the situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51909/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is committed to supporting apprenticeships, with €67 million allocated in Budget 2024 and €77 million allocated in Budget 2025, bringing the total budget to €339 million in 2025. This is an 84% increase from the apprenticeship budget of €184 million in 2020, the year in which my department was formed.
The demand for craft apprenticeships has increased significantly since 2019. Registrations for craft programmes grew by 34% between the end of 2019 and the end of 2024, from 5,300 to over 7,000. The number of craft apprentices reached 25,000 at the end of 2024, up from 16,000 in 2019. This growth is both welcome and essential. A robust and expanding craft apprenticeship pipeline is critical to achieving Government targets in housing delivery, retrofitting, and infrastructure development.
Craft apprentices undertake their off-the job training based on their registration date and available provision across the country. This ensures that all apprentices are queued in order of their registration. Apprenticeships involve scheduled off-the-job training according to the specific programme and agreements between the apprentice, employer and training provider. Craft apprenticeships take a minimum of 208 weeks, or four years, to complete, meaning completion time varies on a case by case basis.
The minimum times provided are guidelines to ensure sufficient exposure to all necessary components at each phase. An apprentice who has successfully completed the minimum on-the-job training period becomes eligible for scheduling to the next off-the-job phase, however the waiting time periods for their next scheduling call does not necessarily mean that an apprentice is delayed in their apprenticeship.
Currently, the median aggregate completion time for a craft apprenticeship is 228 weeks, including a 12 to 16-week period required for QQI validation, indicating that most apprentices are completing their apprenticeship within a timely period. As of September 2025, the median time an apprentice will spend in Phase 1 is 65 weeks including a 12-week minimum mandatory period prior to eligibility at Phase 2. The median time an apprentice spends in Phase 3 is 42 weeks including 26-week minimum mandatory eligibility criteria for Phase 4. The median time an apprentice spends in Phase 5 is 40 weeks including a 26-week minimum mandatory eligibility period for Phase 6.
It is important to note that there needs to be a healthy pipeline of apprentices eligible for off-the-job training to ensure that this training can be scheduled efficiently, and cost effectively. Since apprentices register throughout the year, and classes are scheduled on a rolling basis, this pipeline grows and shrinks throughout the year. SOLAS works with Education and Training Boards to monitor each trade individually and ensure sufficient training capacity on an ongoing basis.
