Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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215. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the supports in place from his Department for apprentices here; the rationale behind the flat fee for apprentices attending institutes of technology during their apprenticeship; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6621/14]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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The Annual Student Contribution is levied on apprentices and students attending Institutes of Technology. This contribution has been levied by Institutes of Technology in respect of apprentices since 2004, with FÁS/SOLAS paying 70% of the contribution and apprentices themselves paying the remainder. As part of Budget 2014 and in the context of overall savings my Department had to find, SOLAS ceased making this payment to the Institutes of Technology from 1 January and apprentices themselves will pay the full pro rata Annual Student Contribution.

Apprentices will pay the same contribution as students, apportioned for the time they spend in the Institutes. Unlike students, 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.

Although apprentices are not eligible to receive student grants, the value of their training allowance would be greater than the maintenance available under the student grant scheme.