Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Question 137: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will make some provision available so that trades people will complete their apprenticeships and receive their trade qualifications by implementing longer grants or by making provisions available for employers to take on apprentices in order to guarantee people will receive their qualifications and give them a better chance of making a living out of their trade. [36474/12]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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To assist redundant apprentices to complete their apprenticeships, FÁS has put the following interim measures in place:-The temporary Redundant Apprentice Placement Scheme (RAPS) provides supports for redundant apprentices to be placed with an employer to complete the minimum duration necessary to complete the on-the-job phases at Phase 3/5/7. Employers can apply to FÁS to participate in RAPS subject to meeting the eligibility criteria. FÁS has also introduced a Competency Determination Mechanism (CDM). This mechanism will provide redundant apprentices who have a time deficit in their apprenticeship with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills and knowledge against the occupational standard for the specified trade over a number of days in a FÁS Training Centre.

I can confirm to the Deputy that FÁS has no plans at present to provide grants to employers to recruit individuals as apprentices.