Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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289. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of new apprenticeships established in 2019 and to date in 2020. [3392/20]

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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290. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of persons taking part in apprenticeships; the number and type of apprenticeship courses in which no female apprentice is taking part; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3393/20]

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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291. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of female and male apprentices in training by each employment sector and sub-sector as of 31 January 2020, for craft based and consortia led apprenticeships in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3394/20]

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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293. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of persons with a disability that took part in an apprenticeship in 2019. [3396/20]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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Details in respect of the current apprentice population, including a breakdown of male/female participation is set out in the attached tabular statement.

11 new apprenticeships were established in 2019. To date in 2020, a two year Sales apprenticeship has been established at QQI level 6. This brings the total number of programmes available to 55.

The Review of Pathways to Participation in Apprenticeship highlighted a number of areas for action which would increase the numbers of apprentices from under-represented groups.  This included setting a target of 600 female apprentices by end 2019. As of the end of 2019 there were 665 women apprentices nationally compared to 341 women apprentices in 2018, 145 in 2017 and only 60 in 2016.

486 apprentices self-identified as having a disability during the apprenticeship registration process in 2019.

Work in the area of access to apprenticeships for under-represented groups is ongoing. The existing Action Plan to Expand Apprenticeship and Traineeship in Ireland is due to expire this year and it's successor plan will take forward the findings and remaining recommendations of the Pathways to Apprenticeship Review and set out actions and targets on how participation by under-represented groups in apprenticeship programmes can be increased.

Apprenticeships with no female participation are highlighted above.