Written answers

Tuesday, 2 November 2021

Department of Education and Skills

Education and Training Provision

Photo of Louise O'ReillyLouise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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682. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to a shortage of registered gas installers currently; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that there are qualified installers who are not registered and who are willing to re-take exams as necessary; if he has plans to address the shortage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52492/21]

Photo of Niall CollinsNiall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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The matter of registered gas installers is for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, the statutorily independent regulator of the energy sector. The CRU has appointed The Register of Gas Installers of Ireland (R.G.I.I.) as The Gas Safety Supervisory Body (GSSB). Matters in relation to the recognition of qualifications and registration should be directed to the R.G.I.I..

Photo of Rose Conway-WalshRose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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683. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will include trade union representatives on the national training fund, NTF, advisory group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52524/21]

Photo of Niall CollinsNiall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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The NTF Advisory Group was established in line with the recommendations from Indecon in their review of the NTF, that such a Group be established to submit recommendations to the National Skills Council on NTF priorities. This advisory group is a permanent resourced structure to optimise enterprise engagement on NTF priorities. It consists of key stakeholders from a range of employer representatives, agencies and Government Departments.

Indecon also recommended that a structured process be implemented to facilitate NTF-focussed inputs from employers, employees and representative bodies prior to annual expenditure decisions. The NTF Advisory Group is considering how a new method of engaging with enterprise bodies to ensure that there is a focussed and structured input prior to expenditure decisions.

Photo of Robert TroyRobert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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684. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if tutors who have been administering the Safe Pass courses on a contract basis will be awarded a severance payment on the completion or termination of their contracts. [52525/21]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Safe Pass training is delivered by SOLAS Approved Training Organisations and tutors. Safe Pass approved tutors are registered on the SOLAS training register and are authorised to organise and deliver Safe Pass training in keeping with SOLAS standards and are not contracted to SOLAS.

All Safe Pass tutors operate as an independent and separate legal entity. Tutors set their own rate for training and are paid either by the participant attending the Safe Pass course or by an Approved Training Organisation who contracts their services. Neither the Department nor SOLAS have a role in the setting of fees or in influencing pricing structure within the market place. There is a €32 fee payable to SOLAS, who administer the Safe Pass Programme, for the processing, manufacturing and distribution of Safe Pass cards which is unchanged and is generally included in the overall price for attending a course. SOLAS.

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