Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Apprentices are primarily employees and all of the 73 available apprenticeships are undertaken under a contract of employment. For the majority of apprenticeships, the rate of pay is agreed between the apprentice and the employer. The apprentice continues to be paid during both on-the-job and off-the-job training elements of the apprenticeship.

While attending off-the-job training, craft apprentices are paid a training allowance appropriate to their training phase. In addition to training allowances, craft apprentices attending phases of off-the-job training in an Education and Training Board (ETB) training centre, Institute of Technology, or a Technological University are entitled to make an application for either travel or accommodation allowances for the duration of the period of off-the-job training.

The impact that the cost of living is having on our apprentices continues to be a concern. For my part, in addition to the more broad measures taken by this government, apprentices will specifically benefit from funding of €3.8m for a one-third reduction in the Apprenticeship Student Contribution Fee for those attending Higher Education Institutions in the 2023/24 academic year. This measure is targeted at relieving the immediate pressure associated with making this payment. It is anticipated that circa 11,000 apprentices in higher education could benefit from this measure.

Additionally, I want to make apprenticeship an attractive career path that is accessible for all young people. I am also delighted to confirm that there will be additional funding of €400,000 for a bursary for apprentices from under-represented groups. Bursaries would be proposed to support apprenticeship learners in all ETBs and at TUS Limerick and Athlone, MTU, ATU Galway and TU Dublin.

As employees, apprentices who find themselves in difficulty are correspondingly entitled to access general employment supports through the social welfare system. I would also advise any apprentice to discuss the matter with their Authorised Officer who may be in a position to provide guidance.