Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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1219. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the progress that has been made on the implementation of the SOLAS recommendations in the report SOLAS Response to the Findings of the Evaluation of the National Outreach Programme published in May 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29123/22]

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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SOLAS published its response to the findings of the ESRI’s Evaluation of the National Youthreach Programmes in 2019. That evaluation found that the Youthreach programmes had significant value in re-engaging a vulnerable group of young people with learning, providing courses and approaches tailored to their needs and embedding education and training provision within a broader network of supports. It made a number of suggestions to enhance the provision of Youthreach programmes.

In its response SOLAS noted that the evaluations’ findings to improve the Youthreach programmes while acknowledging the questions raised that needed to be considered in the wider context of the reform of Further Education and Training (FET) and the evolving strategy. Future FET:Transforming Learning,the FET Strategy 2020-24 was subsequently published in 2020.

The majority of the recommendations in the SOLAS response, continue to be implemented through the national FET Strategy 2020–24 under the Creating Pathways and Inclusion workstreams. Other specific recommendations, directly relating to the Youthreach Evaluation are being implemented by SOLAS, as part of the Strategic Performance Agreement process in conjunction with individual Education and Training Boards.

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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1220. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide updated projections for the future revenue of the National Training Fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29129/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The National Training Fund (NTF) Act 2000 provides for a levy on employers to be used to fund the development of and raising of skills amongst those in, or seeking, employment.

The NTF levy is collected by the Revenue Commissioners as part of the PRSI collection system. The funds collected are included in the transfer of gross PRSI from the Revenue Commissioners to the Social Insurance Fund of the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (DEASP). Each year DEASP undertakes an apportionment exercise to analyse PRSI collection data and to apportion funds to the Social Insurance Fund; the Health Levy and the National Training Fund

Following a consultation process, the Government, as part of Budget 2018, decided to raise the rate of the NTF levy by 0.1% in 2018 to 0.8% and by a further 0.1% in both 2019 and 2020.

The following table shows the forecast of future revenue from PRSI as calculated by the Department of Social Protection in October 2021.

The National Training Fund also receives income from the European Social Fund (ESF) in respect of ESF co-financed activities that have been pre-financed from the NTF. The level of ESF receipts to the NTF in any year depends on the amounts certified to, and reimbursed by the Commission in that year in respect of NTF funded activities. As set out in the Revised Estimates Volume, ESF receipts are forecasted to be circa €2.5m for 2022.

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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1221. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the average cost of a consortia-led apprentice per year including the employer incentivisation scheme; if the consortia-led scheme is funded from the National Training Fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29130/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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There is a very substantial allocation of resources to apprenticeships drawing on the funding raised through the Employer Training Levy into the National Training Fund. Therefore, apprenticeships are not a direct cost to the exchequer.

In 2019, the last pre-Covid full year, registrations were at 6,177. 2020 saw 5,326 registrations, and by 2021 there were a record 8,607 registrations. The associated expenditure for those years was €160m in 2019, €184m in 2020, and €198m in 2021. The 2022 budget allocation for apprenticeship is €206m.

Regarding the employer incentivisation scheme the most recent figures available on costs are from the start of April. The total number of employer applications validated up to 4^thApril 2022 was 5859, covering a total of 8762 apprentices representing a potential value of €17.524m.

Calculating a cost-per-apprentice is a complex matter involving fixed costs, such as programme development costs, and variable costs per participating apprentice. The nature of specific apprenticeships is also an influencing factor. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform published a Spending Review of Apprenticeships in 2019. This estimated the average annual cost per apprentice in craft apprenticeships at €7,159 and €9,877 for consortia-led programmes.

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The scheduling of the next update to this review is a matter for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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1222. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the €430 million announced in capital investment in further education and training and higher education will be additional to the current capital investment ceilings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29185/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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In February of this year, I was pleased to announce the parameters of an ambitious new phase of capital investment in the further and higher education sectors.

The four new programmes with a combined funding envelope of €430 million to 2025 will be funded within the overall capital ceilings for my Department as set out in the revised National Development Plan.