Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputies Flaherty and Gould. In relation to rural and provincial Ireland, I am pleased we have €430 million in capital funding to spend on further and higher education. From memory, 45% of that will go to further education. I was talking to Longford-Westmeath ETB yesterday. Capital calls are open for each ETB to come forward with projects. There is a short deadline. It is the first week of April. Let us get these projects in and start opening more apprenticeship centres around the country. Good progress has been made on one in Galway-Roscommon recently but we need much more.

To Deputy Gould, we estimate we need about 10,000 registered apprentices per year by 2025. That is what the plan commits to. We were at 8,607 at the end of 2021 so things are looking good in that regard but we cannot be complacent. The point the Deputy made on small and medium businesses is important. Until now, we have seen good and growing employment uptake in apprentices but we need to make sure it is accessible to all employers. That is why we have brought in the new employer grant offering a €2,000 payment to an employer who takes on an apprentice. I hope that will be of great use.

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