Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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581. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated annual cost to the Exchequer of abolishing student contribution fees for apprenticeships. [38906/24]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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Funding for the National Apprenticeship programme is determined through the annual Estimates process, led by the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform.

In advance of Budget 2025 on the 1st October, my department published the Funding the Future - An annual options paper on the cost of higher education 2024, on the 16th September, which can be found on Gov.ie.

This paper outlines the various measures possible to reduce the cost of education. This was done in order to facilitate public discussion about the various choices available to improve student supports. Stakeholders had direct input into this document at the options day held by my department in April of this year. These options are being taken into consideration in the context of Budget 2025 discussions.

The figure given to abolishing the fee for apprentices attending higher education was €14,243,750.