Donna McGettigan (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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902. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of craft and non-craft apprenticeship registrations in 2022, 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025. [56937/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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Supported by significant government investment, annual apprenticeship registrations have grown strongly in recent years from 6,177 in 2019 to 9,352 in 2024. This 51% increase provides a strong foundation for achieving the target of 12,500 annual apprentice registrations by the end of 2030.

Year to date to September of this year, there have been 6,676 apprenticeship registrations. It should be noted that in 2024 the last four months of the year were the strongest period for apprenticeship registrations, with 45% of all registrations for the year taking place in this period.

The numbers of craft and consortia apprenticeship registrations in 2022, 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025 are provided in tabular form below.

Donna McGettigan (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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903. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the amount of additional craft and non-craft apprenticeship places funded in Budget 2026, for the year 2026; and the allocation for those additional places in Budget 2026. [56938/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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The apprenticeship system takes a demand-led, employer-driven approach to meeting workforce and skill requirements in our economy. As such, the demand for and number of apprentices is significantly influenced by employers in any given sector. The Government remains firmly committed to apprenticeships and has significantly expanded opportunities for learners in recent years, recognising their vital role in equipping Ireland’s workforce with the skills needed to meet national priorities, including infrastructure delivery.

Annual craft apprenticeship registrations have risen 63% from 4,377 in 2020, the year in which my department was formed, to 7,113 in 2024. In the same period Consortia-led registrations have grown from 949 to 2,239. The additional €79 million investment in apprenticeship delivery secured in Budget 2026 will directly support the continued growth of the apprenticeship system to support this demand.

Building on this progress, next year we will launch the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2026–2030, setting a target to increase annual apprentice registrations from 9,352 in 2024 to 12,500 by 2030. Stakeholder consultations on the new Plan are scheduled to commence shortly.

With the significant investment in Budget 2026 bringing the total funding for apprenticeship to over €400 million, a strong foundation has been laid to achieve the 12,500 target and support national infrastructure projects.

SOLAS is the State Agency responsible for the provision of further education and training (FET) programmes including apprenticeships. SOLAS allocates funding to Education and Training Boards and partners to deliver FET programmes at a local level, based on agreed targets linked to local and industry needs. It is the responsibility of each ETB to plan and deliver its services throughout the year, taking into account their allocated budgets and the specific needs of their local communities in line with its functions set out in the Education and Training Board Act of 2013.

Donna McGettigan (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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906. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on his Department’s commissioned research into the landscape of apprentice pay; to ask when he expects this final report to be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56984/25]

Donna McGettigan (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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907. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update from SOLAS regarding The National Apprenticeship Office’s commissioning of an independent economic assessment to incentivise participation in national apprenticeships by both employers and apprentices, drawing on international practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56985/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 906 and 907 together.

The Government is strongly committed to growing and strengthening Ireland’s apprenticeship system, as set out in the Programme for Government and the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021–2025. This commitment is already delivering results: supported by sustained investment, the system has seen significant growth in recent years. Annual craft apprenticeship registrations have increased from 4,377 in 2020 to 7,113 in 2024, while consortia-led registrations have more than doubled, from 949 to 2,239.

Building on this momentum, I am committed to further growing apprenticeship opportunities in the next Action Plan for Apprenticeship which is planned for publication in 2026, with a target of reaching 12,500 total craft and non-craft annual registrations by 2030. Achieving this ambition will require continued focus on incentivising participation. The Government is supporting both employers and apprentices through a range of financial and non-financial measures designed to make engagement with apprenticeship more accessible and attractive.

Two reports on incentives - one commissioned by the National Apprenticeship Office and another by my Department - will inform the development of the next Action Plan for the period 2026–2030. The report commissioned by the NAO has not been completed and the work will be reviewed by the NAO in the coming months. Regarding the research commissioned by my Department, a draft has been completed and is currently under consideration. These insights will help shape a responsive apprenticeship system for current and future challenges. A public consultation on the next Action Plan will be launched shortly, and I look forward to hearing from stakeholders across the system.

Robert O'Donoghue (Dublin Fingal West, Labour)
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910. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of people accessing apprenticeships each year since 2020, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57351/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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Annual apprenticeship registrations have grown strongly in recent years, increasing from 5,326 in 2020 to 9,352 in 2024.

This growth has been supported by significant government investment in apprenticeship delivery since my department was formed in 2020. To ensure an adequate pipeline of skilled apprentices to support government targets on housing and infrastructure development, an additional €79 million has been invested in the apprenticeship system in Budget 2026, bringing the total current budget for apprenticeship to over €410 million. This represents a significant increase of 123% in apprenticeship funding since 2020.

The numbers of yearly new apprentice registrations in each full year from 2020 to 2024 are provided in tabular form below.