Results 2,301-2,320 of 11,785 for speaker:Niall Collins

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Correspondence (14 Jul 2021)

Niall Collins: 86. To ask the Minister for Finance his views on correspondence (details supplied); the status of the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38364/21]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Correspondence (14 Jul 2021)

Niall Collins: 138. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his views on correspondence (details supplied); the status of the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38445/21]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (14 Jul 2021)

Niall Collins: Craft apprenticeships account for 25 of the 61 existing available apprenticeship programmes. The off-the-job training for these programmes is delivered in Training Centres or Institutes of Technology and Technological Universities. It is these programmes which were those most impacted by the shutdown of on-site learning activity in 2020 and 2021 given the practical nature of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (14 Jul 2021)

Niall Collins: SOLAS has declared a spend of €125.5m on training people for employment in 2020. The NTF will contribute €207.3 million in 2021. The increase from the 2020 allocation will allow SOLAS to continue with the provision of the Skills to Compete and the retrofitting programmes which were introduced as a part of the July Jobs Stimulus package in 2020. Programmes which are funded...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Adult Education Provision (14 Jul 2021)

Niall Collins: The Government has committed to a significant increase in onsite attendance in the tertiary education sector in the next academic year. Following consultation with sectoral stakeholders and on following Government approval, the Minister published A Safe Return: Plan for a safe return to on-site Further and Higher Education and Research in 2021/22. The Plan reflects the essential...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (13 Jul 2021)

Niall Collins: 366. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he has received communication and a submission or application from Limerick City and County Council to be included in the block pyrite scheme; if he will review a report (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37993/21]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (13 Jul 2021)

Niall Collins: The National Training Fund (NTF) was established by the National Training Fund Act, 2000, as a dedicated fund to support the training of those in employment, and those seeking employment.  The Act also provides for the funding of research to provide information on existing and likely future skills requirements of the economy. The Fund is currently resourced by a levy on employers of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (13 Jul 2021)

Niall Collins: Currently during their three periods of off-the-job training (phases 2, 4 and 6 of a seven phase craft apprenticeship), craft apprentices are paid training allowances directly by the Education and Training Boards and are not paid by their employers. Under the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 this arrangement will continue for the 25 apprenticeships which are currently covered under...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (13 Jul 2021)

Niall Collins: The National Training Fund Advisory Group was formed following the recommendations from Indecon, which recognised that engagement with employers is key to ensuring provision is aligned with developing skills needs. This advisory group is a permanent resourced structure to optimise enterprise engagement on NTF priorities.The group consists of key stakeholders from the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Jul 2021)

Niall Collins: I was alluding to the oversight group which comprised SOLAS, ETBs and SIPTU. Revised emergency curriculum and assessments, which will be 18 months long rather than the existing 12-week programme, will be delivered in a blended approach. Three technical teams are being put in place to devise an emergency curriculum over the coming weeks, and it is intended to pilot elements of the approach...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Jul 2021)

Niall Collins: I thank Deputy Conway-Walsh for her question. I assure the Deputy and apprentices that apprentices are not being abandoned and that it is a matter that we are acutely aware of. Craft apprenticeships account for 25 of the 61 existing available apprenticeship programmes. Off-the-job training for these programmes is delivered in training centres or institutes of technology and technological...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Jul 2021)

Niall Collins: I reiterate that nobody is being abandoned. What is being done to rectify the issue? To date, €2 million has been allocated in capital expenditure to SOLAS and the Higher Education Authority to facilitate 4,000 additional craft apprenticeship places across the system. This is in addition to €12 million already allocated to support additional classes and teaching capacity to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Third Level Fees (8 Jul 2021)

Niall Collins: I will address the Deputy's remarks. She is right with regard to regional skills needs. One of the functions of the new national apprenticeships office will be to identify such needs and to liaise with all relevant stakeholders. The Deputy cited the road haulage industry in that regard. We have seen that the new sector-specific apprenticeships we have developed, led by consortia, are...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Jul 2021)

Niall Collins: A key strength of the apprenticeship model, as highlighted in the recent action plan for apprenticeship, is that it is a demand-led approach to meeting workforce and skill requirements in our economy. In the case of craft apprenticeship, for example, the number of places is determined by employers, with off-the-job training provided to all registered apprentices. Apprenticeships established...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Jul 2021)

Niall Collins: About 60 different apprenticeship schemes are available and a further 18 schemes are in development across a range of areas, including some that the Deputy mentioned. I take the Deputy's example about school bus drivers. This is something that I have raised with the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley. That is an acute issue because drivers are prohibited from doing this work on reaching...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Jul 2021)

Niall Collins: The Deputy is 100% right. Along with the Minister, Deputy Harris, and our Government colleagues, I have set out to bring apprenticeships into the mainstream - into the middle of our further and higher education offerings. The Deputy mentioned guidance counsellors. We are in discussions with the CAO, which will also bring guidance counsellors into the equation, to give people the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Jul 2021)

Niall Collins: Apprenticeship is an employer driven demand led educational and training programme which aims to ensure that qualified apprentices are fully skilled to act in an independent capacity in their respective industries. While apprenticeships are national programmes, it is the pattern of employer recruitment of apprentices that determines the availability of individual apprentice opportunities. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (8 Jul 2021)

Niall Collins: Youthreach is one of a broad suite of 34 Further Education and Training (FET) programmes that are currently funded through the FET System Funding process. This process is essentially a full cost model where each programme initially receives a set amount of funding commensurate to the estimated costs of delivery. Ultimately, the funding provided corresponds to the full costs of delivery. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Jul 2021)

Niall Collins: The Apprenticeship Incentivisation Scheme comprises a €2,000 payment when employers register a new apprentice, followed by an additional €1,000 payment one year later where that apprentice is retained. The intention of the scheme is to ensure that apprenticeship will play a key part in supporting economic recovery following COVID-19. The Scheme was initially approved under the...