Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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251. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the cost of a SOLAS course (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50734/13]

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 in respect of full time students for the academic year 2013/2014 is €2,500. The Annual Student Contribution has been levied in respect of apprentices since 2004, with apprentices paying the element of the contribution relating to exams and SOLAS paying the balance. As part of Budget 2014 apprentices will now pay the full contribution themselves, apportioned in respect of the time they spend in the Institutes, in common with other students. For Electrical apprentices such as the person in question, attending Phase 4 in January 2014, the apprentice student contribution is 1/3 of €2,500 = €833.

Apprentices attending Phase 4 off-the-job training receive the equivalent of Industry net pay norm for the period attending the Institutes of Technology. Apprentices who have to move to rented accommodation during the period of the course in Galway can make an application to Solas for an accommodation allowance which is €69.90 per week.