Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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1274. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a person (details supplied) who is completing a plumbing apprenticeship will be able to start their first stage of college; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18414/21]

Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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1279. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the action he will take to ensure that all apprentices whose course has been affected by Covid-19 restrictions will be able to qualify in the same timeframe as they would have done before the restrictions were introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18529/21]

Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
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1293. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a person (details supplied) will be facilitated with their next phase of the Solas apprenticeship; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18807/21]

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1274, 1279 and 1293 together.

COVID-19 related suspension of practical training in Training Centres, Institutes of Technology and Technological Universities has had a significant impact on the ability of craft apprentices to access off-the-job training waiting times. When permissible, practical training is operating at approximately 50% normal capacity to ensure adherence to public health guidance. This has exacerbated the increasing pressure on craft apprentice off-the-job training facilities which was growing as a result of the 90% increase in apprentice population over the past 6 years. A situation which has impacted on waiting lists for electrical, plumbing and carpentry and joinery in particular.

€20M in capital expenditure has been allocated to SOLAS and the HEA to facilitate an additional 4,000 places across the system in the coming period in addition to €12M already allocated to support additional classes and teaching capacity to ameliorate COVID-19 measures. SOLAS and the HEA are working with the education and training providers to tackle waiting lists and ensuring that apprentices complete their training as quickly as possible once current COVID-19 restrictions allow.

In the interim, education and training providers have front-loaded remote training on theoretical aspects of apprenticeship for craft apprentices to ensure that apprentices are facilitated to continue with their programme. A phased return to face to face training has commenced for those apprentices who had been undertaking remote teaching and learning or who were close to completion of phase 2, 4 or 6 when training was suspended in January 2021.

SOLAS is providing weekly updates directly to apprentices, and employers of apprentices, who are assigned to off-the-job training phases. Scheduling dates for individual apprentices are not available at the current time, with the system focussing on supporting craft apprentices who to complete their phases.