Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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299. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students enrolled in apprenticeships; the estimated cost to the Exchequer annually; the number of craft apprenticeships; the estimated cost to Exchequer of all craft apprenticeships annually; the number of students enrolled in new apprenticeships; the estimated cost to the Exchequer of new apprenticeships annually in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35953/20]

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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There are 18,800 apprentices registered across the 58 available apprenticeship programmes as at the end of October 2020. 2,234 (12%) of which are registered to consortia-led programmes. Apprenticeship is funded by the National Training Fund and there is therefore no direct cost to the exchequer.

Given the dual nature of apprenticeship within the current system, the July 2019 Spending Review of Apprenticeships published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform estimated the annual cost per apprentice in craft apprenticeships at €7,159. The average annual cost per additional apprentice for consortia-led programmes was €9,877 however this figure includes programme development costs and may overstate the true ongoing cost of providing apprenticeship places. Given the ongoing development of consortia-led apprenticeship (15 programmes rolled out in 2019-2020 with a further 20 in development) a reliable average cost has not yet been calculated, however this will be kept under review as greater numbers come on stream.

Expenditure on apprenticeship was €118m in 2018 (€6.65m for consortia-led apprenticeship and €111.73m for craft apprenticeship) this rose to €160m 2019 with €184m allocated for 2020.

A breakdown of expenditure between craft and consortia-led programmes for 2019 is being prepared and will be forwarded to the Deputy.