Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

604. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to introduce a scheme, similar to the recently announced scheme whereby newly qualified accountants will receive a salary of almost €18,000, funded by Solas to fund newly qualified early years teachers to work in the sector in view of the serious staffing crisis in that sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42639/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I assume that this refers to the national apprenticeship system.  In newer apprenticeships such as the one referenced by the Deputy, Solas or the Higher Education Authority meet the running costs and delivery of the off the job training element, but the employer pays the apprentice throughout the period of the apprenticeship, both on and off the job.   

This scheme is under the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills. I understand that the Apprenticeship Council issued a call for proposals for new apprenticeships in the Summer and that proposals received are currently under consideration in a process of evaluation under their auspices.  The Council expects to report on the results of the call to the Minister for Education and Skills in November, with details of the proposals moving to development being announced by the Minister very shortly thereafter.

Currently the commitment by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and the Department of Education and Skills is to deliver a new workforce plan for the Early Years sector by the first quarter of 2018 (School Age Childcare Report).  In this regard, the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs has agreed to write a sectoral report on Early childhood education and care (ECEC) workforce.  As part of this work, the Secretariat to the Expert Group based in DBEI, has issued an RFT for a Skills Forecast for this Workforce Plan.  The aim of this project is to examine the impact of a rapidly changing policy and practice landscape in the childcare sector in Ireland on future skills requirements so that Government can ensure that a high quality workforce is in place over the next decade.