David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 288: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 8 of 3 June 2010, if she has made contact with FÁS regarding the inability of apprentices who are on short time to complete the necessary on the job training; her plans to ensure that these apprentices will be assisted in completing the necessary number of hours; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28935/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Employed apprentices currently working on a short time basis are considered by FAS to still be in active apprenticeship training. While each on the job training phase within an apprenticeship is of a specified minimum duration, apprentices who are working on a short time basis are not thereby precluded from completing their training within the specified period. In addition, in order to successfully complete the relevant on-the-job training phase, an apprentice is required to reach the minimum qualifying standard specified as certified by their employer.

Apprentices who have not served the minimum time required as an apprentice over all seven phases of their apprenticeship but who have been certified as attaining the minimum qualifying standard by their employer, may submit a portfolio of evidence under Recognition of Prior Learning for consideration by the National Apprenticeship Advisory Sub-Committee. This option is also available to redundant apprentices and has been in operation since June 2009.