Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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640. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills in relation to the €67 million announced for apprenticeships in the Budget Expenditure Report (2024), how much of this comprises unspent funds from the €30 million that was announced for apprenticeship in Budget Expenditure Report (2023); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45347/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The €67m allocation for apprenticeship set out in the Budget 2024 Expenditure Report, published on 10 October last, includes an allocation of €57m of core funding and €10m temporary funding to invest in the apprenticeship system and support the continued growth of the craft apprenticeship system.

Based on current forecasts, the €30m allocation for apprenticeship in Budget 2023 referred to by the Deputy, is on track to be spent in 2023. This funding was allocated on a temporary basis in 2023 and following the Budget decisions for 2024 it is being allocated into the expenditure baseline.

Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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641. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills in relation to the €400 thousand bursary announced in the Budget Expenditure Report (2024) for apprenticeships from underrepresented areas; the qualifying criteria; how many awards this equates too; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45348/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I am delighted to have secured a further €400,000 towards social inclusion measures for apprenticeship. This builds on the €100,000 funding allocated for such measures in Estimates 2023.

As the Deputy knows, one of the five overarching objectives of the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 is "Apprenticeship for All". That is, ensuring that the profile of the apprenticeship population more closely reflects the profile of the general population. The Plan promotes general access, diversity, and inclusion in apprenticeship by offering targeted supports to encourage participation from under-represented groups including gender diversity, people with disabilities, and members of socio-economic groups of disadvantage.

The National Apprenticeship Office increases the visibility of under-represented groups in apprenticeship literature and promotional material to reflect the participation and positive experience of people from all backgrounds and communities, as well as the availability of assistive supports.

The additional funding of €400,000 for a bursary for apprentices from under-represented groups is proposed to support apprenticeship learners in all ETBs and at TUS Limerick and Athlone, MTU, ATU Galway and TU Dublin.

The specific details of the targets and interventions linked to the funding are informed by the Access & Inclusion Sub-Committee of the National Apprenticeship Alliance. This helps to ensure that the voice of under-represented groups is integral to the further development of the apprenticeship system. The Sub-Committee will be building on this year’s scheme to ensure the best use of the substantially increased funding in 2024.