2026-07-02

84. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the way in which apprenticeship provision to the higher education sector is funded; and whether his Department expects the funding in question will be used to increase administrative and support staffing in line with the growth in apprentice numbers and the recruitment of additional lecturing staff, technicians and heads of trades, given that some institutions have recorded increases in apprentice registrations of up to 72%, without any corresponding increase in administrative staff. [50204/26]

There is a positive aspect to this question. In the context of the way in which apprenticeship provision is funded through his Department, does the Minister expect the funding in question to be used to increase administrative and support staffing in line with the growth in apprenticeship numbers, for the recruitment of additional lecturing staff, technicians, and heads of trades, given that some institutions have recorded an increase in apprenticeship registration of up to 72%, without any corresponding increase in administrative staff. We have seen an increase in the number of apprenticeships people are taking up. In lie with that, the number of administrative staff and those teaching apprentices must also be increased.

As the Deputy said, very fairly and positively, investing in Ireland’s apprenticeship system is a central priority for me, as Minister, and my Department. Investment in the apprenticeship system has more than doubled, from a base of €184 million in 2020 to more than €415 million this year. That is very significant increase in investment in the apprenticeship sector. It reflects the Government's focus on the apprenticeship system and includes support staff, administrative staff and staff in other roles. I am not aware of the specific case the Deputy referenced. He mentioned that there are some cases where support and administrative staff to go with the apprentices have not been provided. I am very open to the Deputy coming to me with the details in that regard. I will then be happy to interrogate the matter a little further if there is an issue in a particular location. Higher education institutions are autonomous bodies with responsibility for managing their own staff and resources. My Department provides them with significant funding, but, to an extent, how they manage that in terms of staff hires or otherwise, is within their own control and remit. This year, my Department is providing €113 million in apprenticeship funding to the HEA. That money will be suballocated to the higher education institutions. It covers the full costs of delivery, including operational costs like those relating to staffing. For craft apprenticeships, funding is provided by means of block grants, with a set amount allocated to each apprenticeship training block delivered by individual providers. That allocation covers all apprenticeship costs, including teaching, technical and administrative staff costs. For consortia-led apprenticeships, the Higher Education Authority agrees a unit cost with providers that covers the full cost of delivery, including staff costs. Decisions on recruitment, deployment and internal resourcing are matters for the institution themselves, but notwithstanding that, I am happy to have a look at the individual case. I might refer it on to the relevant HEI or education and training board, ETB, as appropriate. If the Deputy likes, he can bring it to my attention and I can do that. More broadly, SOLAS has been tasked with working through the apprenticeship system and making sure that we address any backlogs that have arisen and fast-track the creation of more places.

That is appreciated. Institutions have come to me directly to say that, although they understand that they are the ones that deploy staff to the busiest departments of their institutions, they feel that there is not enough funding coming to them to do so, given the increase in apprenticeships in all of their institutions. While I thank the Minister for giving me the opportunity to focus on one particular institution, there is a broader aspect to this question. We have seen a significant number of people taking up apprenticeship roles in this country, which is positive and I thank the Minister and his officials in the Department for that. Is the Department looking at giving additional funding for the institutions to provide them with the opportunity to employ more staff, including technicians and administrative staff, so that they can keep pace with the number of students coming to them looking for help with their apprenticeships?

A few recent recruitment drives have been undertaken. SOLAS launched a recruitment campaign in late 2024 for new further education and training, FET, instructor staff nationwide. A campaign was run in the national media looking to recruit those personnel. One of the outputs of that saw the Dublin and Dún Laoghaire ETB in Loughlinstown fill a number of electrical instructor posts through a radio advertising campaign. Another five training centres in the City of Dublin ETB were also supported through that. There were various different recruitment campaigns looking to fill other posts. Some 135 posts were filled as a result. It started with the electrical instructors but it spread right across to carpentry and joinery, plumbing, motor mechanics, pipe fitting, heavy goods vehicles, HGVs, metal fabrication, advanced manufacturing, hairdressing and much more. I will not go through every single area. There were a couple of dozen different disciplines that had increased recruitment as a result of the campaigns. We are certainly trying. In some cases, the difficulties may not be due to a lack of budget, but a lack of available staff. That is why we are trying to do recruitment campaigns to bring in instructors, support staff and people for other such roles.

I am sure that the Minister is aware of this but I want to put it on the record. The figure of 72% came to me through Munster Technological University, MTU, in Tralee, which the Minister is very familiar with and has visited. It is important to put that on the record, but it is also important to outline the broader aspect of it. We hear a great deal about the need to build more homes, deliver major infrastructural projects and strengthen Ireland's competitiveness. None of these ambitions can be achieved unless we invest in the people who train our apprentices. Investment in apprenticeships is not simply an education issue, but an economic necessity. I know the institutions where staff have worked tirelessly to accommodate record numbers of apprenticeships, like MTU in Tralee. It is important that we continue to put this on the record. Over the last 18 months in the Chamber, we have had robust debates about apprenticeships. There are a lot of challenges facing apprenticeships. I will specifically mention pay and conditions for apprentices. I know that is being worked through with the Department, albeit perhaps through a piecemeal approach. I again want to put on the record that the number of people taking up apprenticeships in every sector is positive, and has been so for the last 18 months.

I entirely agree. I thank Deputy Kenny for his support and the support of his party on the broader policy initiative. What he says is true. I have visited MTU in Tralee. I have visited all of the different technological universities, TUs, and their components at least once, if not a few times. I recently held a construction skills roundtable event in UCD where we brought together the employers in the construction space, the trade unions and the training agencies - SOLAS, the ETBs and the HEA for a conversation on exactly that. The Deputy touched on our ambition as a Government to build housing and infrastructure at scale, be it the metro, the DART+ projects, the roads network, renewable energy or the energy grid. We are investing significantly in all of these under the national development plan, with a budget of over €200 billion over the lifetime of the Government. To meet infrastructure, housing and other needs, we must have the capacity to build this out. That requires multiple craft apprenticeships coming on stream and being supported, and having that pipeline of talent coming through. I am committed to driving that on. It is a key part of our national initiative.