4239. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for an update on the funding issues for SOLAS and ETBs; to provide details of any delays in apprenticeships or cuts to courses or staff across all aspects of the ETB education system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59353/26]

My Department allocates funding to SOLAS from the Exchequer including the National Training Fund (NTF) to support the delivery of Further Education and Training (FET) programmes and services through the 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs) and other agencies nationwide. Each ETB must prioritise and manage delivery of FET programmes strictly within their allocated budget.

In 2026, my Department is allocating over €1.2 billion (excluding capital funding) to SOLAS from the Exchequer and the NTF to support FET provision nationwide. This allocation includes €415 million for apprenticeship delivery, a €76 million increase on last year’s allocation, reflecting the Government's continued commitment to expanding apprenticeship opportunities and addressing skills needs across the economy.

My Department has not been made aware of any funding issues in 2026. SOLAS distributes funding to ETBs and other providers to deliver FET programmes at a local level.  As independent statutory bodies, ETBs are responsible for deciding how resources are allocated across programmes and for scheduling provision within their overall funding allocation.  SOLAS continues to keep funding requirements under review and works closely with ETBs to support effective planning, timely allocation of resources and the continued delivery of high-quality FET services.

Regarding the delivery of apprenticeship programmes, typical craft apprenticeship programmes have a minimum duration of 208 weeks, with a further period of up to 12 weeks required for validation of craft certification. Apprentices can register throughout the year, and a range of factors can influence the time it takes to complete an apprenticeship. These include deferring training, repeating assessments, or other individual circumstances. An apprentice may also choose to pause their progression for personal or employment-related reasons. Across the craft apprenticeship system, the median time to certification was 239 weeks in 2024, reducing to 227 weeks in 2025, indicating that the majority of apprentices are completing their apprenticeship in a timely manner. SOLAS works with the Higher Education Authority and ETBs to monitor each trade’s training capacity individually.