Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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143. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which he and his Department plan to expand apprenticeship offerings in the north-east; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51224/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Significant progress is being made in realising the ambition for apprenticeship set out in the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025. The further development and mainstreaming of apprenticeship in Ireland through the creation of a single unified apprenticeship system has a key role to play in meeting Ireland's skills needs in a manner that presents a valued proposition for apprentices and employers alike. Despite the challenges of Covid, significant progress has been made to date.

Just this week I was in Drogheda for the announcement of the Drogheda Training Hub. LMETB, working in partnership with employers, industry partners, and SOLAS have successfully secured support and permission for this innovative response to address the urgent need for craft apprentices in the construction and industrial sectors. The proposal will allow for a significant expansion of apprenticeship training in the Louth Meath area in key craft areas such as electrical trades.

In its Training Centre in Dundalk, LMETB provides Craft Apprenticeship Programmes in all craft areas including Pipe Fitting at Phase 4, as well as apprenticeship programmes in Electrical, Motor, Carpentry and Joinery, Metal Fabrication, and Plumbing.

In response to Government initiatives and political imperative in the area of construction, LMETB has increased the frequency and number of electrical apprenticeship programmes doubling the capacity of the centre and using all existing space available. By extension of this work, the securing of premises in Drogheda to provide for an additional eight electrical programmes running continuously throughout the year will contribute greatly in the need to address the requirements of the sector.

We are delivering a training facility wholly dedicated to electrical apprentices. When fitted out, it will provide a state of the art training centre and help to alleviate the delays faced by apprentices in what is an enduringly popular profession.

I am particularly pleased to see progress being made in qualifying more electricians- they have an important contribution to make in our efforts to reduce our carbon footprint. When operational, this facility will ensure a meaningful contribution to one of the greatest cross-generational challenges facing our society.

As well as climate targets, the facility will make a valuable contribution to the availability of skilled workers in the construction industry, helping to achieve the ambition set out in Housing for All.

At a local level, having over 300 apprentices attending the facility will be a huge boost for the area’s economy. It will help to support businesses and job creation here in Drogheda and the surrounding area, as the apprentices will need to avail of accommodation, services, and hospitality.

This represents a tangible demonstration of the desire and the will of Government to work to address the skills challenges of our time, and to support balanced regional development.

With this week’s announcement for Drogheda and LMETB, I can assure Deputy O’Dowd that the North-East occupies a strong position in the transformation of Ireland’s apprenticeship system, now and into the future.