Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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The National Training Fund (NTF) was established by the National Training Fund Act, 2000, as a dedicated fund to support the training of those in employment, and those seeking employment.  The Act also provides for the funding of research to provide information on existing and likely future skills requirements of the economy.

The Fund is currently resourced by a levy on employers of 1% of reckonable earnings in respect of employees in Class A and Class H employments, which represents approximately 75% of all insured employees. The levy is collected through the PAYE/PRSI system and funds are transferred monthly to Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection.

The level of expenditure from the NTF will depend on the demand for services.  A total of €741.3 million has been allocated this year from the NTF.

While the NTF does not form part of the Vote of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, the allocation for each scheme is generally determined as part of the annual Estimates process. The NTF is included as an annex to the published Estimates of the Department and such funding is included in the overall expenditure ceiling for its parent department.  Therefore unless the rate of the levy changes, fiscal rules mean that any increase in NTF expenditure would have to be offset by reductions in expenditure elsewhere.