Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 May 2026
217. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the steps being taken to improve pay and working conditions for apprentices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34854/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraApprentices are employees and all apprenticeship programmes are undertaken under a contract of employment. For the majority of apprenticeships, the rate of pay is generally agreed between the apprentice and the employer, with the employer paying the apprentice during both on-the-job and off-the-job training elements. For the majority of craft apprentices, the minimum rates of pay are agreed through collective bargaining or underpinned by a Sectoral Employment Order (SEO). Neither my Department nor SOLAS has any role in the setting of apprentice wages.
Employers must be approved by SOLAS before employing apprentices and are required to comply with the SOLAS Apprenticeship Code of Practice. If an apprentice is facing difficulties in their workplace and believe that their employer is not acting in compliance with their obligations under the Code of Practice they should speak with their training adviser and make a complaint to SOLAS who will look into the matter.
There are targeted initiatives in place to assist apprentices financially. These include the Access to Apprenticeship Initiative, which supports the transition of 16–24-year-olds from disadvantaged backgrounds into an apprenticeship scheme, with learners who participate in an Access to Apprenticeship programme being eligible to apply for a €3,000 bursary, and the Traveller Apprenticeship Incentivisation Programme, which provides financial and practical support to members of the Travelling Community to help them access, start, and complete apprenticeships.
Additionally, craft apprentices attending phases of off-the-job training in an Education and Training Board training centre, an Institute of Technology or a Technological University are entitled to supplementary allowances for travel, meals and accommodation. Either an accommodation allowance or travel allowance is payable, but not both.
It remains a priority for Government to support apprentice participation in apprenticeship programmes, while maintaining a focus on apprentice welfare. This will be a key aspect of the next Action Plan for Apprenticeship, which will consider how best to support and promote participation for apprentices and employers alike. I look forward to publishing this new Action Plan later this year.
