Shane Ross (Dublin South, Independent)
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45. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps taken to recruit companies in new sectors to implement apprenticeship programmes, aside from JobBridge, bearing in mind that the review of apprenticeship training in Ireland, published on 21 January 2014, presented evidence showing countries with high quality apprenticeship programmes have great success in promoting quality employment for young persons, following on from this and, in particular, taking into consideration the exceptionally high youth unemployment rates here, the review recommended an expansion of apprenticeships to new business and industrial sectors. [23645/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The review of apprenticeship in Ireland was progressed by an independent review group and has made a very comprehensive series of recommendations to my Department following its consultations with stakeholders (including employers and employer representative bodies).

As noted by the Deputy, the framework involves plans to expand apprenticeship beyond the sectors in which it currently operates. Implementation of the recommendations will require the input of a wide number of stakeholders involved in the provision of education and training and quality assessment as well as employers. Consultation on how to implement the recommendations is now underway, again with direct input from employer representative bodies, and an implementation plan will be finalised by the end of June.