Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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443. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if bricklaying instructors are needed by Solas at present or in the near future. [58364/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The brick and stonelaying apprenticeship has a standard craft apprenticeship structure of seven phases of alternating on-the-job and off-the-job phases. The off-the-job training for these programmes is delivered in Education and Training Board Training Centres (Phase 2), Institutes of Technology and Technological Universities (Phases 4 & 6).

At the end of October 2021, there were 67 apprentices waiting for Phase 2 off the job training and 21 waiting for phase 4 or 6. 11 of these have been waiting over 6 months. Recruitment for bricklaying instructors, if required, will be undertaken by the relevant employing organisations as set out above.

ETBs nationwide are currently recruiting over 100 new instructors and support staff to work with craft apprentices in Education and Training Boards across the country. Vacancies are available on www.etbi.ie/etb-vacancies/. The positions are mainly confined to those apprenticeships with large waiting lists - namely Electrical, Plumbing and Carpentry & Joinery apprenticeships.

The sanctioning of bricklaying instructors is subject to increasing demand for additional off the job places. Unless a particular ETB requires a Brick and Stonelaying Instructor under general staffing needs, there are no plans in place to sanction additional bricklayer instructors.