Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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810. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she has considered developing adult apprenticeships for child care to equip those returning to the workforce with the skills that might assist child care providers with the staff to address the acute child care shortage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28961/15]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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In January 2015, the Apprenticeship Council formally invited proposals for new apprenticeship programmes from consortia of enterprise, professional bodies and education and training providers. 86 separate proposals were received by the deadline of end March. The Apprenticeship Council reported to me on the 30th June following its evaluation of proposals for new apprenticeships. No proposal was received to develop a new apprenticeship for childcare.

In relation to skills that might assist childcare providers, the Further Education and Training Services Plan 2015 sets out how the 16 Education and Training Boards will provide a wide range of courses in the early childhood education and childcare areas.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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811. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of new apprenticeships for young persons that have been developed in the past two years; the sector skills areas covered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28969/15]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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At the end of 2014, apprentice registrations for the existing 27 craft apprenticeships were up 40% on the same point in 2013. This positive trend in apprentice registrations is continuing across the majority of craft apprenticeships. At the end of June 2015 apprentice registrations were up 17% on the same time last year. The forecast for future apprenticeships registrations remains strong and it is predicted that craft based apprentice registrations will continue to grow incrementally up to 2018.

A new Stonecutting and Stonemasonry apprenticeship programme launched in April 2015. The apprenticeship provides participants with specialist skills from the processing of stone to carving, conservation and restoration along with monumental work. The apprenticeship has been developed by SOLAS in conjunction with the Office of Public Works and other key stakeholders and all off-the-job training phases will be delivered by Kerry ETB for the Conservation and Restoration of historic buildings and monuments as part of our national heritage strategy. In addition, SOLAS in collaboration with the Louth Meath ETB Dundalk Training Centre is planning to commence a new Pipefitting apprenticeship on the 28 September 2015.

I have recently received the Apprenticeship Council Report on New Apprenticeship Programme and I am currently in the process of examining the implications of the report in the light of the governance, budgetary and other considerations raised in their report. The Report recommends 25 proposals for priority development across a wide range of sectors and levels of the National Framework of Qualifications. The next stage of the process involves the detailed development of the proposals into apprenticeships, including curriculum development, quality assurance, approval of employers and a range of other issues.