Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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246. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if consideration has been given to additional further education courses and/or apprenticeships in the area of horticulture; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25145/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Further Education and Training courses are delivered, or contracted, by the 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs) across the country. While this is under the funding and strategic direction of SOLAS, the ETBs decide on the level and nature of provision based on local demand in consultation with SOLAS. My officials have made enquiries with SOLAS and I understand that some 3,000 learners pursued a wide range of horticultural related courses during 2022 and that a similar level of provision is expected in 2023.

The position regarding apprenticeships is that an apprenticeship in Advanced Horticulture and an apprenticeship in Sports Turf Management are due to be launched this year. Both are level 6 programmes on the National Framework of Qualifications and are expected to have their first intake of apprentices in September.