Written Answers Nos. 195-204
195. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide a list of the number of apprenticeships available in each of the years 2022 to 2024, in tabular form. [18139/24]
View answerAs of the end of March 2024 there are 73 national apprenticeships available, offering a qualification between NFQ level 5 and NFQ level 10. This compares to 73 apprenticeships available in 2023 and 68 apprenticeships available in 2022.
The list of apprenticeship courses that were available in each of the years 2022 and 2023 are provided in tabular form below, along with the list of apprenticeship courses available to in 2024 to date.
At present, a further 16 apprenticeship courses are planned for launch in 2024.
Further details can be found on the Generation Apprenticeship website - apprenticeship.ie
196. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he intends to align Youthreach centres for education with second level schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18301/24]
View answerThe Youthreach programme is a national programme of full-time education and training for early school leavers. It provides integrated education, training, and work experience for unemployed early school leavers generally between 16 and 20 years of age and is delivered in two settings, Youthreach Centres and Community Training Centres.
The 2015 Youthreach Operator Guidelines provide for learners to normally complete the programme in two years and for the Youthreach year to be 225 days, with learners being required to attend for 208 days. Accordingly, Youthreach is a longer programme than that applying in schools.
Many Youthreach providers offer summer programmes, with opportunities for extra curricular activities, community projects and work experience modules to build the transversal skills of participants. The value of summer programmes has been identified in inspection reports of Youthreach undertaken by the Inspectorate in the Department of Education.
I am also aware of references to staff concerns raised in the ESRI’s Evaluation of the Youthreach Programme regarding learner attendance during the summer, Easter and Christmas holidays when schools were on holidays. A union representing Youthreach Co-ordinators and Youthreach Resource Persons has submitted a claim in respect of both grades, which officials are engaging with under the auspices of the Workplace Relations Commission. During this engagement, the length of the Youthreach year was raised and my officials undertook an analysis of Youthreach attendance data which found that overall average attendance levels were 6% lower during the summer programme than the rest of the year. There were issues with attendance evident in some ETBs, but not all.
There is an Operational Guidelines Working Group operating under the auspices of Education and Training Boards Ireland, which is developing revised and updated guidelines for the sector, including for the Community Training Centres who offer the Youthreach Programme. The work of the Group is expected to be completed in June 2024.
197. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his response to the Youthreach Employee Wellbeing Report 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18302/24]
View answerThe Youthreach Employee Wellbeing Report 2022: A review of employees experience of working in the Youthreach Sector was published by Maynooth University in January 2023. Based on a survey of 325 staff, or some 33% of the sector, it found significant challenges facing frontline Youthreach sector staff and workplace stress but nonetheless found higher levels of wellbeing by comparison to teaching staff at other levels of education. The report highlighted the dedication and commitment of Youthreach staff to their student cohort.
The key role of relationships with staff in re-engaging young people with learning was also highlighted in the ESRI’s Evaluation of the Youthreach Programme which also noted how coping with the needs of young people, especially in terms of psychological and mental health, is seen to require CPD and additional supports for staff.
The Youthreach programme is staffed by Co-ordinators, Resource Persons and teachers with nationally agreed terms and conditions of employment. They have specific, clearly defined job descriptions. which were designed very much with the programmes structure in mind. Template contracts of employment for Youthreach were negotiated and agreed by all stakeholders.
I understand that Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI) have issued a follow-up sectoral response survey to the 16 ETBs. ETBI will consider the individual ETB responses and prepare a report for SOLAS and my Department on the issues raised and measures taken in relation to issues raised.
198. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 581 of 7 February 2024, given that is has been three months, if he can please give an indication of when Solas will be in a position to provide a breakdown, by county, in tabular form, of the number of craft apprentices currently waiting for off the job training; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18369/24]
View answerSOLAS are now in a position to provide the information pertaining to craft apprentice waiting times which can be found in the attached document broken down by parent ETB.
A normal amount of time for an apprentice to wait for phase 2 off the job training is 3 to 6 months. Those waiting 6 months or longer are termed as part of a backlog waiting for training.
The rapid implementation of the response plan being implemented by the NAO means that the backlog has reduced from over 5,200 at the end of August 2023 to 3,460 at end-March 2024 – this is made up of phase 2 - 3,347, phase 4 - 95 and phase 6 - 18. this is the figure is also shown separately defined by registrations at parent ETBs in the attached document.
The total apprentice population has increased from over 17,500 in 2019 to 27,000 in 2023.
This Government is increasing the capacity of the apprenticeship system to meet the needs of NDP Delivery, Housing for All and the Climate Action Plan, at the same time as maintaining a sustained reduction in the apprenticeship backlog.
199. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for figures on the total spend for all forms of advertising in the years 2022 and 2023 in his Department; if figures can be provided on each Department’s spend on local media advertising (print and broadcast respectively, and broken down on that basis) for those years; if the Department used/uses an agency to place advertising; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18393/24]
View answerMy Department works with a Government procured media buying agency to ensure we get the best reach and value for money for our information campaigns.
The Department's Advertising spend for 2022 and 2023 is detailed in the table attached, with a breakdown for local and national print and broadcast included.
|
2022 |
2023 |
|||
|
National |
Regional |
National |
Regional |
|
|
|
€0.00 |
€0.00 |
€60,817.00 |
€39,157.00 |
|
Broadcast |
€39,320.64 |
€13,926.06 |
€82,486.00 |
€74,633.00 |
|
Other |
€5,407.08 |
€0.00 |
€278,807.00 |
€0.00 |
|
Total Advertising Spend |
€44,727.72 |
€13,926.06 |
€422,110.00 |
€113,790.00 |
200. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department has at any time engaged the services of a company (details supplied) or allocated the company funding or support in any capacity; if he or his officials have engaged with personnel from the company; if so, the details of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18445/24]
View answerMy Department has had no engagement or provided departmental funding to the company referenced by the Deputy at any time since the creation of the Department in 2020.
201. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when the grants awarded to groups under the 2023 towns and villages renewal scheme will be announced. [18209/24]
View answerThe Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS) was introduced in 2016 and is one of a number of measures designed to rejuvenate rural towns and villages throughout Ireland. Since the launch of the scheme, more than €156 million has been allocated to in excess of 1,700 projects throughout Ireland.
In line with the commitment in Our Rural Future, TVRS priorities are reviewed at the end of each scheme year to ensure that funding is targeted effectively to support vibrant and attractive communities and to respond to changing needs and opportunities.
The 2023 Scheme has a renewed focus on town centre economic and social vibrancy. This will be achieved through projects focusing on town centre regeneration, enhancing our streetscapes and bringing vacant and derelict buildings back into use as community multi-purpose spaces through refurbishment and renovation.
The 2023 Scheme is now closed and the competitive assessment is nearing completion. The 2023 TVRS is heavily subscribed, and funding will be allocated based on suitability against scheme criteria, the geographical spread of projects, the quality of the proposed projects and the available budget. I expect to be in a position to announce the successful projects shortly.
202. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development for figures on the total spend for all forms of advertising in the years 2022 and 2023 in her Department; if figures can be provided on each Department’s spend on local media advertising (print and broadcast respectively, and broken down on that basis) for those years; if the Department used/uses an agency to place advertising; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18398/24]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table below. I can also confirm that my Department does use an agency to place advertising.
|
Year |
Total spend (all forms of advertising) |
Advertising spend on local print media |
Advertising spend on local broadcast media |
|
2022 |
€53,332.16 |
€43, 944.10 |
Nil |
|
2023 |
€34,572.07 |
Nil |
€15,301 |
203. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she is aware of the long delays in dealings with the Charities Regulator in instances where updating title to properties is under the remit of that office, such as properties being disposed of through diocesan trusts, which can result in ordinate delays in the sale and purchase of properties which are needed for domestic or commercial use; what measures will be taken to ensure that such applications are processed and finalised in a timely manner; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18414/24]
View answerThe Charities Regulatory Authority (the ‘Charities Regulator’) was established in October 2014 pursuant to the Charities Act 2009. The Charities Regulator is the State organisation responsible for registering and regulating all of Ireland’s charities, with the mandate to promote good governance practice.
The Charities Regulator is under the aegis of my department. It is important to note however, that the Regulator is fully independent in the performance of its statutory functions.
The updating of property titles or disposal of same is a complex issue and there are many unique situations that may arise.
Depending on a number of factors including the completeness of the initial submission, the type and complexity of the application and the volume of other applications, it can take several months to complete an application. Many application types involve statutory notice periods and by necessity are considered in stages. I am advised that the current guideline timeframe for processing these applications is in excess of six months.
By way of example, the Charities Regulator may need to appoint trustees of a charitable trust (or to a particular property held on charitable trusts) either to fill a vacancy, or as additional trustees under section 43 of the Charities Act 1961 (as amended by section 14 of the Charities Act 1973 and section 82 of the Charities Act 2009). This usually occurs where a charity no longer has any living trustees appointed, and is an alternative to a charity having to apply to the High Court to have new trustees appointed. It is only one of a number of types of applications that can be made under the Charities Acts 1961 and 1973.
The Charities Regulator has a dedicated section on its website with information to assist charities and their advisors on making applications to help ensure that applications are only made when other options are not available, and applications, when made, are complete.
Further information on applications to the Charity Services Unit is available on the Charities Regulator's website.
204. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if her Department has at any time engaged the services of a company (details supplied) or allocated the company funding or support in any capacity; if she or her officials have engaged with personnel from the company; if so, the details of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18450/24]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has neither engaged the services of the company referred to or allocated funding or support to it in any capacity.
Furthermore, I can confirm that neither I, or any official at my Department, have engaged with personnel from the company referenced.
