Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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358. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to set out the number of colleges providing courses for apprentice mechanics; if all colleges charge the apprentices for courses provided or if there are different rates depending on the college; if his Department pays the colleges for any aspect of such courses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13717/17]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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Apprenticeship is a blended alternative training programme, with the off the job training element of apprentice mechanics courses delivered by Education and Training Board (ETB) training centres and Institutes of Technology (IoTs).

Students are not charged a fee for participating in phase 2 of apprentice mechanic courses, which are delivered in ETB training centres. Phase 4 and phase 6 of these mechanic courses are delivered by IoTs. The Annual Student Contribution (ASC) is levied on all students attending IoTs and the amount due by apprentices is calculated on a pro rata basis of the time which they spend in IoTs during the academic year. This is typically one third of the ASC paid by students attending for the full academic year and amounts to €1,000. SOLAS fund ETBs for phase 2 training and the Higher Education Authority (HEA) fund provision in the IoTs.