Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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526. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if employers are required to pay apprentices based on time served rather than the phase of the apprenticeship; the way that his Department will ensure that employers follow this practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28033/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Apprentices are primarily employees and all of the 65 available apprenticeships are undertaken under a contract of employment.  For the majority of apprenticeships, the rate of pay is agreed between the apprentice and the employer, with the employer paying the apprentice during both on-the-job and off-the-job training elements of the programme.

Information on employment legislation is available from a number of sources including the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation at www.enterprise.gov.ie and the Workplace Relations Commission at www.workplacerelations.ie.

The following information applies to the 25 craft apprenticeship programs currently available:

- Craft apprentices are entitled to a pay increase on the first anniversary of when they were registered as an apprentice by their employer and every subsequent anniversary after that.

- Via national social partner agreements, craft apprentices’ rates of pay are applied on an annual basis starting from the date of registration with SOLAS as a statutory apprentice and on the anniversary thereafter.

- These yearly increases are not dependent on completion of Phases 2, 4 or 6 or the passing of related exams. Employers therefore should not withhold an increase on the basis of an apprentice not having attended a particular phase of the apprenticeship or having failed an exam.

- Employers must comply with the statutory obligations imposed by the Industrial Training Act, 1967 (as amended), and any Apprenticeship Rules (which may apply in relation to the relevant programme from time to time). Apprentices are employees and apprentice employers must comply with all statutory obligations including all current employment legislation.

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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527. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of craft apprentices who have been registered for over four or two years in the cases of those registered on two-year apprenticeships in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27278/22]

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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529. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the average duration of time it takes to complete each type of apprenticeship in practice, rather than the intended duration in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27280/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 527 and 529 together.

The information requested by the Deputy in relation to this issue has been requested from SOLAS.

Officials in my Department are engaging with SOLAS to confirm the position and the details will be communicated to the Deputy  as soon as possible.

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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528. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of processes of recognition-of-prior-learning that were used in each apprenticeship-type for the past three years; if the use of same has any impact on the level of support or incentive offered to employers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27279/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The information requested by the Deputy in relation to the use of the recognition of prior learning procedures is being compiled by SOLAS. An answer will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.