Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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724. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of apprentice training course offers that have not been accepted due to the distances between the offered training course and the apprentice’s residence, for the years 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4527/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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I refer to your query requesting the number of apprentice training course offers that have not been accepted due to the distances between the offered training course and the apprentice’s residence, for the years 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, in tabular form.

This information is not available as the underpinning reason for a rescheduling request is not tracked by SOLAS/ National Apprenticeship Office.

The national apprenticeship system only records the fact that a rescheduling request occurred, and whether the rejection of the initial scheduling was by the apprentice or their employer, not the reason for same.

Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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725. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will address the situation whereby Solas is offering job training in colleges miles away from apprentices’ homes, and they are given six weeks to find accommodation or forfeit their training to go back on the national waiting list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4528/25]

Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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726. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills it is reasonable to send apprentices in Kerry for job training in Dundalk; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4529/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 725 and 726 together.

Apprenticeships are national programmes. As far as possible, SOLAS schedule an apprentice's off-the-job training to the nearest available training location relative to their home location. If a placement is not available near an apprentice’s home location, they will be called to the next nearest available location.

Between 6 and 13 weeks prior to the commencement of the phase, the apprentice and their employer each receive a letter with details of the location to which they have been scheduled. The letters are issued by each Education and Training Board (ETB), based on the scheduling detail provided by SOLAS/the National Apprenticeship Office (NAO).

Apprentices and their employers have a period of 7 working days from the issue date of the letter to confirm their attendance to the ETB. Should an apprentice or employer decline the scheduling offer, their place is allocated to the next available apprentice on the national waiting list. This allocation is to ensure a full complement of apprentices for each intake/class. The apprentice who declines a scheduling offer is returned to the National Waiting List for the next scheduling offer.

A craft apprentice may decline a scheduled placement up to three times and return to the National Waiting List for future scheduling. An apprentice can arrange this by contacting their designated Training Advisor.

It is important to note that it is not possible for all apprenticeship programmes to be provided at every ETB or Technical University (TU). Apprentices are made aware during their induction period that there is potential for them to be called to other locations for training. Once registered in their Employer Region, apprentices are assigned a Training Advisor at that region's ETB. The Training Advisor remains their point of guidance and support, throughout their apprenticeship.

Where a craft apprentice is travelling out of their home region, an accommodation allowance is made available to them. Craft apprentices are also entitled to supplementary allowances for travel and meals. Either an accommodation allowance or a travel allowance is payable, but not both.