Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)
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397. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to set out the new apprenticeship programmes that have been introduced in 2016 and to date in 2017; and the new apprenticeship programmes that are to be introduced in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, respectively. [20696/17]

Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)
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398. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to set down the duration, NFQ level and partner educational or training institute of new apprenticeships introduced in 2016 and to date in 2017; and the number to be introduced in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, respectively. [20697/17]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 397 and 398 together.

The material sought by the Deputy is set out in the table.

During 2016, 2 new apprenticeship programmes got underway with the Insurance Practitioner Apprenticeship commencing in September and the Industrial Electrical Engineer Apprenticeship in November. Following successful validation of their programmes, 3 additional apprenticeships will get underway shortly, including two manufacturing apprenticeships in the medical device area and a third in polymer processing. A further 10 new apprenticeships will commence in 2017 in various sectors including ICT, Accounting and Hospitality.

The recently published Action Plan to expand Apprenticeship and Traineeship in Ireland 2016 – 2020, sets out targets for new apprenticeships schemes in the period. This will see an additional 10 new apprenticeships in both  2018 and 2019 and a further five programmes in 2020.

In addition, the Apprenticeship Council will issue a new call for proposals later this week to refresh the pipeline of proposals already established through the first call.

Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)
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399. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to set down the number of apprenticeship places available on each of the existing apprenticeship programmes; and the estimated number of places that will be available on each new apprenticeship programmes to be introduced in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, respectively. [20698/17]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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There were 3,742 new registrations on the 27 existing craft apprenticeships in 2016. During 2016 two new apprenticeship programmes commenced, the Insurance Practitioner in September with 67 registered apprentices and the Industrial Electrical Engineering in November with 12 registered apprentices.

The following table sets out target annual registrations for new apprenticeships in the period to 2020.

It is not possible to distribute these registrations across the various new apprenticeship programmes as some of these are on programmes that have commenced, some will be on programmes that are being developed and others will be on programmes that will come from the second call for proposals which will issue later this week.

Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)
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400. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to set down the category 2 and category 3 new apprenticeship programmes identified by the Apprenticeship Council in its report on new apprenticeship programme proposals for 2015. [20699/17]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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Information events hosted by SOLAS were held for category 2 and 3 proposers in November 2016. The Apprenticeship Council has been working with consortia to develop these proposals into sustainable apprenticeships that can be delivered on a nationwide basis. Details of those proposals approved for development funding by the Apprenticeship Council is set out in the following table.

The Apprenticeship Council will publish details of all apprenticeship proposals currently in development as part of the second call for proposals shortly.