John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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220. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of safe pass tutor accreditation programmes run by SOLAS in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018. [48899/18]

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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221. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of safe pass tutor accreditation programmes applications made to SOLAS to date in 2018; the number still to be approved; when the next course will be held in view of the fact that there are only 149 safe pass tutors in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48900/18]

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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222. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of persons who applied to SOLAS for the safe pass tutor accreditation programmes in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48909/18]

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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227. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of persons who have taken part in and successfully completed the SOLAS safe pass tutor accreditation programmes in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48864/18]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 220 to 222, inclusive, and 227 together.

I understand from SOLAS that to date a total of 499 people have been approved and trained to be approved SOLAS Safe Pass tutors. Safe Pass tutor applications are processed and approved on an ongoing basis. SOLAS is satisfied that the current and planned provision of SOLAS Safe Pass tutors has the capacity to meet the current and expected demand for Safe Pass training courses nationwide.

It is important for the continuing success of the Safe Pass Health and Safety Awareness programme for SOLAS approved tutors to have the necessary experience and qualifications to deliver the programme. Consequently, SOLAS in partnership with the relevant stakeholders has developed detailed approval criteria to satisfy the requirement to be a Safe Pass tutor. All applications received are reviewed and considered by an independent Approvals Committee whose membership includes the Construction Industry Federation and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.

Of the 41 Safe Pass Tutor Accreditation applications to date in 2018, 9 applications have been approved and a further 10 are scheduled to go before the next committee in December 2018. A decision on the date of the next course will be made when the number of approved applications is known.

The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the attached tabular statement.

PQs re Safe Pass Tutor Accredited Programmes