Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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1399. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will outline any plans for new apprenticeships; when will they be up and running; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47620/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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My department has been advised by the National Apprenticeship Office (NAO) that there are some 31 new apprenticeship programmes at various stages of development.

There are ten steps in developing a national apprenticeship, from research and formulating the outline proposal (Step 1), to creating an industrial training order (which is a statutory instrument designating an industrial activity as an apprenticeship – Step 7), to rolling out the programme with employers and apprentices (Step 10). These are set out in detail in the NAO handbook "Developing and Delivering National Apprenticeships in Ireland".

The development of an apprenticeship generally takes 18-24 months, though it does vary on a case-by-case basis.

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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1400. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will outline any plans for new apprenticeships to be offered in County Louth; when will they be up and running; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47621/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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As of September 2025, Louth and Meath Education and Training Board (LMETB) offers training for the following apprenticeship programmes in Co. Louth:

• Carpentry & Joinery (Regional Skills and Training Centre (RSTC), Dundalk)
• Electrical (RSTC, Drogheda College and Advanced Manufacturing and Training Centre of Excellence [AMTCE], Apprenticeship centre, Dundalk)
• Hairdressing (RSTC)
• Metal Fabrication (RSTC)
• Motor Mechanics (RSTC)
• Pipefitting (RSTC)
• Plumbing (RSTC)
• Sales (Drogheda Institute of Further Education [DIFE])
• Toolmaking (AMTCE)
• Wood Manufacturing and Finishing (RSTC)

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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1401. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there are plans to streamline apprenticeship access and training; whether there has been engagement with ETBs and the further and higher education sector on these streamlining plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47622/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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The Government is committed to improving access to training for apprentices. In 2021, the National Apprenticeship Office (NAO) was set up as a dedicated body to promote and raise the profile of apprenticeships among prospective learners.

Progress to date includes the inclusion of apprenticeship options on the CAO website and the launch of the NAO Freephone Advice Helpline, which is a year-round service providing information directly to apprentices, employers and other interested parties regarding apprenticeship.

Apprenticeship.ie has also been launched, which is a dedicated one-stop website for apprentices to find employment and for employers to advertise opportunities.

To build on what has already been achieved, my department commissioned market research on how employers and learners interact with the apprenticeship system. The findings of this research will inform the continuing work of Government to streamline access to apprenticeship, along with increasing people's awareness of these options.

In terms of training delivery, the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 outlines the migration of craft apprenticeships onto the consortia-led model. The NAO is currently developing draft proposals to support this transition. A key part of this process involves ongoing consultation with stakeholders including education providers.

I look forward to continued engagement with stakeholders on all matters apprenticeship as my department reviews the current Action Plan and begins development of a new five-year strategy for the apprenticeship system from 2026.