Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

617. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the figures for the throughput of apprentices annually in each of the years 1990 to 2016 and to date in 2017; and the number of apprentices in phases two, four and six annually by trade sector, for example, construction, electrical, engineering, motor and printing and paper. [28851/17]

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

633. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of apprenticeship training places at phase two that are undertaken directly by SOLAS; the number that are sub contracted to private providers; and the comparative figures for 2008. [28900/17]

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

634. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of apprenticeship training places at phases four and six that are undertaken directly by institutes of technology; the number that are subcontracted to private providers; and the comparative figures for 2008. [28901/17]

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

635. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to reduce subcontracting of apprenticeship training provision to private providers; and his views on whether this is a desirable policy goal. [28902/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 617 and 633 to 635, inclusive, together.

The information sought by the Deputy will be forwarded to him.

SOLAS does not directly undertake training.  However, as co-ordinating provider, SOLAS manages provision, in consultation with the HEA, which is delivered through the network of Education and Training Boards and the Institutes of Technology.

I understand that, with the exception of the farriery apprenticeship, in which an element of the training is provided by the Irish Farriery School, craft apprenticeship training is not sub-contracted to private providers.

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

618. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of certificates issued to apprentices in the construction and electrical trade sectors that reached the standard in each of the years 2010 to 2016. [28852/17]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The information sought by the Deputy in relation to the number of certificates issued to apprentices in the construction and electrical sectors is set out in the attached table.

Certificates issued 2010 - 2016

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

619. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of employers in the construction and electrical sectors that FÁS and SOLAS have approved as competent train apprentices in each of the years 1998 to 2016 and to date in 2017. [28853/17]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I understand from SOLAS that 14,688 employers were approved to train apprentices in the construction and electrical sectors over the period from 1998 to 2017. It should be noted that some employers may have been approved for multiple crafts. 

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

620. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of new applications SOLAS has received from employers since January 2015 to date in 2017 for approval to competently train apprentices. [28854/17]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I understand from SOLAS that 1,929 employers were approved to train apprentices in the period 2015 to 2017.  It should be noted that some employers may have been approved for multiple crafts.