Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The answers the Deputy gets are not changing. There was more than 11,000 people waiting at the peak in August 2021. We engaged very intensively with SOLAS to find out how long somebody would generally wait, forgetting Covid-19. If Covid-19 had never happened, the normal time somebody would generally wait between one phase and the other is six months. That is the standard time people wait between moving from one phase to the other as part of what they call the standard based apprenticeship, SBA, model. I think it is quite right and proper now that we make sure that the people are not waiting longer than the six months, the genuine Covid-10 backlog. That number is falling and it is falling in real terms. It is genuinely truthfully falling but I absolutely accept there is more work that needs to be done and we will not rest until the backlog is cleared. The programmes with the longest waiting lists which are electrical, plumbing and carpentry, have been reformed and these changes are now running through the system with increased numbers of apprentices been called to off-the-job training. In addition, all classes which had been running at half capacity are now back in full; capital funding of €20 million was provided to extend and upgrade facilities and a further fund of €17 million has been provided as well. I apologise I am out of time but I can take the Deputy through it.

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