Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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583. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her Department and public bodies and agencies that operate under her remit run apprenticeship programmes or are directly engaged in the training of apprentices; if so, the number of apprentices involved; the specialties in which they are being trained; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19593/22]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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I can advise the Deputy that my Department does not run apprenticeship programmes and is not directly engaged in the training of apprentices.

In relation to the State Agencies under my remit, I can confirm that there are two State Agencies, outlined below, who run apprenticeship programmes or are directly engaged in the training of apprentices.

(I) Screen Ireland are training 6 apprentices in CGI technical art for animation, games and visual effects.

(ii) Údarás na Gaeltachta does not employ apprentices directly, but runs an apprenticeship scholarship programme which supports Gaeltacht participants throughout the course of their training. Employers also receive a grant for those apprenticeships. The Údarás na Gaeltachta Scholarship / Bursary is open to all participants of apprenticeship programmes as recognised by SOLAS. There are currently 122 participants.