693. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if there is support with transport costs for a person starting out on a 1st year electrical apprenticeship. [67118/26]

Craft apprentices attending phases of off-the-job training in an Education and Training Board training centre, an Institute of Technology or a Technological University may be entitled to supplementary allowances for travel, meals and accommodation. Either an accommodation allowance or a travel allowance is payable, but not both. These allowances are provided to help support apprentices with the additional costs associated with attending off-the-job training.

All apprentices are assigned a Training Advisor to provide help and information throughout their apprenticeship. For any apprentice seeking further information about supports available, or advice regarding their individual circumstances, I would encourage them to speak to their Training Advisor, who is best placed to advise them on their specific situation.

There are targeted initiatives in place to assist apprentices, and those wishing to become apprentices, financially. These include the Access to Apprenticeship Initiative, which supports the transition of 16–24 year olds from disadvantaged backgrounds into an apprenticeship scheme, with learners who participate in an Access to Apprenticeship programme being eligible to apply for a €3,000 bursary, and the Traveller Apprenticeship Incentivisation Programme, which provides financial and practical support to members of the Travelling Community to help them access, start, and complete apprenticeships.

I am conscious of the financial challenges facing learners and the need for the progressive implementation of measures to address costs as a barrier to attending tertiary education. As part of Budget 2026, I announced a permanent reduction in the free fees initiative Student Contribution charge. This flat rate reduction has reduced the rate from €3,000 to €2,500 for undergraduate students eligible for the free fees initiative and, applied on a pro rata basis, has lowered the student contribution by 17% for apprentices attending Higher Education. In regard to apprentices, €2.5 million was allocated for this purpose and, over the 2025/26 academic year, this has benefited approximately 14,000 apprentices.