Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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63. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated full-year cost of ending apprenticeship fees; and if he will provide an overview of the annual bursary that apprentices may receive. [41688/18]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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An Annual Student Contribution is levied on all students attending Institutes of Technology (IoTs).  Previously, this Annual Student Contribution was paid by FÁS/SOLAS with apprentices themselves paying the part of the contribution relating to examination fees. As part of Budget 2014, SOLAS ceased making payments to IoTs and apprentices pay the full pro rata Annual Student Contribution.

The amount charged to apprentices is calculated on a pro rata basis of the time which they spend in IoTs during the academic year. For craft apprenticeships, this cost would typically be one third of the €3,000 Annual Student Contribution paid by students attending for the full academic year and so amounts to approximately €1,000 per apprentice per period spent in the IoT. 

The cost of not charging the Annual Student Contribution is estimated to be €4.2 million in 2018, although there are no plans to abolish the Annual Student Contribution for apprentices.

SOLAS offers a bursary of €2,666.44 to eligible employers, rather than the apprentices themselves, to encourage them to employ female apprentices in one of the craft apprenticeships. The bursary applies by the relevant Education and Training Board at a rate of €95.23 per week for 28 weeks as a contribution towards the apprentice's salary and other costs.  It is paid in two instalments, the first on completion of phase 1 of an apprenticeship and the second during phase 3 when the apprentice completes the balance of the 28 applicable weeks with their employer.