James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)

I do not have to hand a figure for LMETB per se. The overall system has received €41 million more this year than last year. What SOLAS allocates to each ETB is a matter for it. It is devolved from my Department and my control. If LMETB has a figure above or below what was expected, it is between it and SOLAS. The overall budget envelope for which responsibility has been devolved to SOLAS has actually increased.

There is no doubt but that there are issues, however, and these stem from the backlog of apprentices that arose last year and the year before. Many apprentices were on a higher rate of pay than anticipated because they were in the system longer. They have not exited the system and that has caused funding pressures. I am working through that, along with the Minister of State, Deputy Harken, our officials and SOLAS.

I mentioned in response to an earlier parliamentary question that the deadline for December calls to start apprenticeship training is September. That is our window. We need to act. We are acting already and I am confident we will have this addressed, through Supplementary Estimates if needs be, before the deadline.

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