Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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458. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated average cost per apprenticeship; the estimated average cost per craft apprentice; the estimated average cost for a new apprenticeship; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18302/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The total estimated annual cost per apprentice in craft apprenticeships, which are offered at level 6 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) is €7,159.  This figure comes from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Spending Review of Apprenticeships published last year.  

The review also provides an average annual cost of €9,877 for new apprenticeships. However, this figure includes the development costs for these new programmes, so it somewhat overstates the true ongoing cost of providing new apprenticeship places.  Due to the majority of these programmes only coming into operation in recent years and the overall population being relatively low there is insufficient information to derive a reliable average cost, however this will be kept under review as greater numbers come on stream. 

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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459. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost to reduce apprenticeship and post-leaving certificate fees by 50% and 100% respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18303/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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An Annual Student Contribution (ASC) is levied on all students attending Institutes of Technology (IoTs).  The amount of ASC charged to apprentices is calculated on a pro rata basis of the time which they spend in IoTs during the academic year. In cases where training is delivered in an Education and Training Board there is no contribution made by the apprentice. 

For craft apprenticeships, the ASC charged is typically one third of the €3,000 ASC paid by students attending for the full academic year and so amounts to approximately €1,000 per apprentice per period spent in the IoT.  In the case of the new consortia led apprenticeships the contribution varies for each programme as their off-the-job training has a more flexible structure.    

Prior to Budget 2014 the portion of the ASC relating to examination fees was paid by the apprentice with FÁS/SOLAS paying the remainder of the fee. If the arrangement in place prior to Budget 2014 arrangement were to be reinstated the 100% cost to the State was estimated at €4.8 million in 2019.  A 50% reduction in the ASC to apprentices would cost an estimated €2.4 million.

In relation to Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) the only centrally determined payment for the PLC programme is the €200 PLC participant contribution. This amount is not payable by persons with a medical card, as well as a number of other categories, which means that approximately 60% of PLC participants do not pay the contribution. The estimated cost to remove 100% of the PLC participant contribution is in the region of €2.4 million. An estimated 50% reduction would cost €1.2 million.