Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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252. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his Department and public bodies and agencies that operate under his remit run apprenticeship programmes or are directly engaged in the training of apprentices; if so, the number of apprentices involved; the specialities in which they are being trained; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19583/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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My Department does not currently run any apprentice programmes or are currently engaged in the training of apprentices. An Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 was recently launched by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and Minister of State for Skills and Further Education. Part of this plan requires public sector employers to increase the level of apprentice recruitment to the public sector to reach 750 new apprentice registrations per annum by 2025. My Department will be a part of the Working Group  set up to deliver on this recruitment plan. The information requested regarding the agencies under the aegis of my Department is an operational matter for each Agency.  I will request the relevant bodies to reply directly to the Deputy with the information requested in respect of their organisation.