Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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101. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the way the new registration fee for aircraft apprentices will be charged as they spend longer in college; if this fee will be on top of the current registration fees that some institute of technologies charge; if apprentices will be able to apply for waiver of the registration fee under the maintenance grant scheme as applies for third level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47448/13]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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The Annual Student Contribution is levied on students attending Institutes of Technology. The amount due by apprentices is calculated on a pro rata basis of the time which they spend in Institutes of Technology during the academic year. Aircraft mechanic apprentices spend longer than most trades in an Institute of Technology due to the nature of their studies and their payment will be calculated accordingly.

Since 2004, FÁS/SOLAS has paid a part of the Annual Student Contribution due in respect of apprentices, with apprentices themselves paying the part of the contribution relating to examination fees. As part of Budget 2014, SOLAS will cease making payments to Institutes of Technology and apprentices will pay the full pro rata Annual Student Contribution.

Apprentices are paid a training allowances by SOLAS for phases of their training spent in Institutes of Technology. This allowance is equivalent to the wages they receive from their employers for on the job phases and is unaffected by the budgetary changes. The amount of the SOLAS training allowance paid aircraft mechanics while they attend IOTs ranges from €363 to €647 per week.

Apprentices do not meet the funding conditions of the Student Grant Scheme as they are not participating in an approved full-time course in an approved institution.