Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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450. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the projected number of new apprenticeship training places that will be created in the period to 2020, by year, by employment sector; her projected target for total apprenticeship training places by 2020, by employment sector; the spend she will allocate to create the additional apprenticeship training places; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3965/16]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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451. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of new traineeship places she will create in the period to 2020, by year, by employment sector; her target for total traineeship places by 2020, by employment sector; the spend she will allocate to create the additional places; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3966/16]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos.450 and 451 together.

The National Skills Strategy, which was published last week, contains an ambitious target to support the delivery of 50,000 apprenticeship and traineeship places up to 2020. This target is subject to employer demand and economic capacity and will require a strong employer commitment in order for them to be achieved. The 50,000 target will be achieved by a combination of the following:

- Increased registrations in existing trades

- Apprentices participating in new apprenticeships

- Existing Traineeships

- New Career Traineeships

In 2015 there was an increase in the SOLAS allocation for apprenticeship of €10 million. As part of budget 2016 there is also a further provision of €10.5 million to expand the apprenticeship programme. This will allow for the development of new apprenticeship programmes and cater for increased registrations in existing trades. Taking account of the development of new apprenticeships and new career traineeships and overall employer demand, budget allocations to cater for the increased participation in these programmes will be determined on an annual basis.