Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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64. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of apprenticeships made available throughout the country in each of the past five years to date; the extent to which this has met the demand; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42791/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I am informed that the number of apprentices registered by employers in the past 5 years, as well as the total apprentice population for each year is as follows:

The above figures also include the relevant data for this year to date. I understand that the equivalent year to date figure for apprentice registrations for 2012 was 1,010 which indicates a 25% increase in 2013.
Under the Action Plan for Jobs my Department has commissioned a review of the Apprenticeship Programme.

The consultative phase of the Review, has invited submissions from stakeholders in Apprenticeship, and the review will address three key themes:

-Consideration of the strengths and weaknesses of the current model of apprenticeship and what improvements can be made to its current structure

- An examination of the alternative methods of work-based training in Ireland

- Consideration of the structural mechanisms, and criteria, under which collaboration with industry/employers can be pursued into the future, either through improved, alternative or complementary models of work-based training.
It is expected that the group leading the review will complete its work before the end of the year.