Peter Roche (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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505. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps being taken to address the current shortage of qualified tradespeople across the country; the specific measures being implemented to attract, train, and support the next generation of apprentices and skilled workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62408/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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The Government remains committed to apprenticeships and has significantly expanded opportunities for learners in recent years, recognising the important role they play in equipping Ireland’s workforce with the skills needed to meet national priorities, including infrastructure delivery.

In Budget 2026 my Department secured an additional €79 million investment in apprenticeship delivery - the largest since the formation of this Department. This investment will directly support the expansion of the craft apprenticeship system and support key trades such as plumbing and electrical, which are essential to delivering the National Development Plan 2025.

To further support apprentices, €2.5 million was also secured to reduce the cost of attending higher education generally in phases 4 and 6. This will permanently lower fees by 17% for over 14,000 apprentices in the 2025/26 academic year, including more than 11,000 craft apprentices. Apprentices from the minority gender in a trade can receive a gender-based bursary and targeted bursaries to support increased uptake and retention of apprenticeship among the Traveller communities are available.

Annual craft apprenticeship registrations have risen 63%, from 4,377 in 2020 to 7,113 in 2024. The number of apprentices in construction-related fields has increased by 52%, rising from 14,567 in 2020 to 22,190 as of October 2025. These apprentices now account for the majority of Ireland’s total current apprentice population of 30,602.

My department is leading several initiatives to address the construction skills gap, including the “Build Back Home” campaign targeting Irish construction workers abroad. The campaign website has received over 68,750 visits, with 95% of traffic from North America, Canada, and Australia. A second phase of the campaign is planned shortly.

In addition, WorldSkills Ireland, held in September, saw strong engagement from second-level schools nationwide. This annual event plays a key role in showcasing career pathways in construction and raising awareness of the valuable opportunities available through apprenticeships.

The Apprentice of the Year and Employer of the Year awards highlight the value of apprenticeships by recognising excellence and promoting their role in addressing skills needs across sectors.

Building on this progress, next year will see the 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, with two-thirds in craft and construction-related areas.