John Connolly (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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30. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he plans to review the success of the Action Plan for Apprenticeship, 2021 to 2025 towards the development of a new national strategy for apprenticeships; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26327/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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I look forward to consulting with stakeholders this year as my Department reviews the delivery of the current Action Plan, and develops a new 5-year strategy for the apprenticeship system from 2026.

My priority is ensuring that the apprenticeship system is well equipped to continue to grow, to respond to the skills needs of industry, and to adapt to the challenges facing the workforce from digitisation and climate change.

Government has invested significantly in apprenticeships since the publication of my Department's Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025.

Significant funding has been allocated to expand apprenticeship training capacity, with €77 million in Budget 2025 making the total current budget for apprenticeship €339 million. That’s a 97% increase in apprenticeship funding since 2020.

I am happy to say that increased funding combined with high employer demand for apprenticeships means that we are well on track to fulfilling the Action Plan commitment of 10,000 apprentice registrations annually by 2025. There were 9,352 apprentice registrations in 2024 which is a 51% increase compared to 2019, the last pre-pandemic year.

Seventeen new apprenticeship programmes have been launched since the Plan was published targeting key skills needs in the economy such as in civil engineering, quantity surveying, wind turbine maintenance, digital marketing and software development.

Recognising the importance of incentivising employers to partake in apprenticeships, Government introduced an employer grant of €2,000 per year in 2022. Since the introduction of this grant annual registrations for consortia-led apprenticeships have risen from 1,652 in 2021 to 2,239 in 2024. Targeted bursaries are also available to support underrepresented groups to access apprenticeships and employment.