Barry Heneghan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

21. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider introducing additional financial incentives or supports for employers who take on apprentices straight from secondary school, particularly in sectors facing acute skills shortages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26368/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Government is committed to ensuring that employers continue to value apprenticeships and are incentivised to participate in apprenticeship programmes across all sectors of the economy.

The department’s Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021 to 2025 recognises that the cost of training is a potential barrier to employer participation in apprenticeships. To support employers with training costs, a €2,000 employer grant was launched in 2022 for employers of consortia-led apprentices. Since the introduction of this grant, yearly registrations on consortia-led apprenticeships have risen from 1,652 in 2021 to 2,239 in 2024.

Craft apprentices receive a State training allowance during all phases of their off-the-job training, and while this is paid directly to the apprentice, it supports craft employers with the overall training costs of hiring apprentices.

Targeted financial supports are also available to supplement employer grants to encourage the employment of underrepresented groups into apprenticeship programmes.

From 2022 an employer grant of €2,666 was introduced to improve gender balance in apprenticeship programmes. Since the introduction of the grant the proportion of female apprentices in the overall apprentice population has risen from 6% in 2021 to 9% at the end of 2024.

The Traveller Apprenticeship Incentivisation Programme includes an employer grant of €2,000 to support the increased uptake of and retention of the Traveller Community on apprenticeships.

In line with commitments within the Programme for Government, the Department will be developing and launching a new 5-year Apprenticeship Action Plan to set a strategic vision for the apprenticeship system from 2026 to 2030 to maximise the number of people starting and completing apprenticeships.

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

22. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on how businesses can access the national training fund to upskill workers in employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21683/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

This Government is committed to creating an environment where enterprise can thrive, innovate, and drive job creation. As a member of the Government Trade Forum, and in engagements with IBEC and directly with employers, I have heard the key issues which enterprises are raising. I am committed to working in partnership to do everything at my disposal to ensure a responsive talent, skills and innovation system, including the National Training Fund.

Critically, a consistent message across the board has been the importance of keeping the pipeline of skills flowing. The NTF is a major funder of skills-relevant provision across further and higher education and apprenticeships. It also funds Springboard+ which funds courses which demonstrate clear evidence of engagement with enterprise and industry partners.

I am currently progressing an amendment of the NTF legislation to ensure that the fund is sufficiently flexible to continue to meet these evolving needs, including through funding of capital, higher education core funding and development of research talent.

Within the NTF, I am also allocating funding for specific supports for businesses.

Through Skillnet Ireland, businesses can join one of 69 Skillnet Networks to access enterprise-led training and upskilling. In 2024, Skillnet Ireland provided upskilling programmes to nearly 98,000 workers across 26,000 companies. Funding has also been earmarked for an SME Incentivisation Scheme to encourage small businesses to invest in workforce skills.

Recognising the cost and time burden on both employees and employers, SOLAS and the HEA have developed affordable micro-courses, with investment from the Fund, at little to no cost to employees, helping businesses invest in the skills needed for future growth.

The NTF also supports the State’s enterprise development agencies, Enterprise Ireland and IDA, to address skills gaps and upskill existing staff in both small and large companies. In Enterprise Ireland’s case this allows training for an average of around 9,000 participants on leadership and management development programmes. In IDA Ireland’s case it helped upskill and reskill over 15,000 employees.

In 2025, the NTF will provide funding for SOLAS and Enterprise Ireland will work with Local Enterprise Offices to provide 4,000 "skills to advance" upskilling places for small and micro enterprises, which face some of the greatest challenges in workforce development.

Information for businesses regarding the range of supports funded through the NTF is available from the National Enterprise Hub, which is the Government's one-stop shop for businesses, ETBs and Local Enterprise Offices as well as national agencies such as Skillnet Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland.