Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for her comments. In the initial reply I outlined to the Deputy that significant money had been applied to this issue and I believe she has acknowledged that. In total, across both this year and last year, €37 million will have been made available to address this issue. This includes a change in the structure of phase 2 off-the-job training which will facilitate a third intake of apprentices per annum and an opt-in rapid employer assessment, which has been piloted at phase 7 for the on-the-job element, for those apprentices who have completed phase 6 and who have spent more than four years in their apprenticeship scheme.

The Deputy is aware of the apprenticeship incentivisation scheme and the impact that has had, and I have spoken about the increase in registrations. We brought in that scheme during Covid-19 when it was extended and played a vital role in ramping up the numbers who came in at a period when there were other demands in our sector.

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