Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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23. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on the the Apprentices (Amendment) Bill 2014; if she is reviewing the educational content that currently exists for apprentices under this Bill; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15460/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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Following on from the Apprenticeship Review, an implementation plan was published last year. The plan sets out a phased approach, recognising the need to first progress work on existing apprenticeships, determine demand from new enterprise sectors, develop the new apprenticeships and then embed new governance arrangements in legislation. Curricular content is not covered in current apprenticeship legislation and it is not envisaged that this would change.

Work on the Heads on the Apprenticeship Bill has therefore not yet commenced, as it needs to be informed by the work of the Apprenticeship Council in developing new apprenticeships following the recent call for proposals. Recommendations in this regard are expected by end June this year. Following recent reviews of 5 of the existing apprenticeship trades, new curricula are scheduled to be rolled out later this year. Accelerated arrangements for reviewing the remaining trades have also been agreed between QQI and SOLAS.