Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

439. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated full-year cost of a 10% increase in the apprentice travel allowance and accommodation allowance for off-the-job training. [2813/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

For the 25 craft apprenticeship programmes, periods of off-the-job training are funded from the National Training Fund (NTF) with payments of the agreed rate made directly to craft apprentices by the education and training boards (ETBs) during this time. Training allowances for apprentices are calculated with reference to gross-wage norms payable in industry for the different trade sectors.

Based on 2021 data, the estimated full-year cost of apprentice allowances was €66.865m, or €9,150 per apprentice (based on an allowance recipient population of 7,307 apprentices). A 10% increase in the allowance for the off-the-job training would translate into an overall cost of €73.556m, or a net increase of €6.687m.

Apprentice Allowance Costs