Public consultation opens on apprenticeship plan central to construction and infrastructure delivery

Public consultation opens on apprenticeship plan central to construction and infrastructure delivery

Government targets 12,500 annual apprentices by 2030 with two-thirds in craft and construction

23 January 2026 | 📧 editor@breakingground.news

The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science has opened a public consultation on the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2026–2030, setting out the next phase of skills policy critical to Ireland’s construction and infrastructure pipeline. The consultation is open until 5pm on 16 February 2026 and will inform a new plan aligned with housing, climate and national infrastructure priorities. 

The proposed plan builds on the current Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021–2025, under which State investment in apprenticeship rose from €142 million in 2019 to €339 million in 2025. Total funding over the five-year period reached €1.33 billion, more than double the allocation of the previous plan. By the end of 2024, the apprentice population exceeded 29,700, representing a 63% increase since 2019, with more than 9,300 new registrations recorded in 2024, the highest annual total to date. 

Construction remains a core focus of the system. The consultation document confirms that the Programme for Government commits to increasing annual new apprenticeship registrations to at least 12,500 by 2030, with two-thirds expected to be in craft and construction-related programmes. Apprenticeships are positioned as a key enabler of the National Development Plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities, the Climate Action Plan and Accelerating Infrastructure. 

The current plan has also expanded the range and profile of apprenticeships. There are now 78 programmes available, including 16 at degree and postgraduate level, alongside continued growth in traditional craft apprenticeships that underpin housing delivery. Employer participation has increased from fewer than 6,000 employers in 2019 to almost 10,000 by 2024, supported by measures such as a €2,000 annual employer grant for non-craft apprenticeships and targeted incentives to address gender imbalance and under-represented groups. 

Looking ahead, the 2026–2030 plan will focus on sustainable growth, matching training provision to emerging skills needs, and strengthening quality assurance. A significant proposed reform is the transfer of responsibility for craft apprenticeship curriculum development, assessment and certification from SOLAS and QQI to education providers, while retaining a strong national governance framework. 

The Department is seeking views from employers, apprentices, industry bodies and the wider public on how apprenticeships can better support skills demand, improve employer and learner engagement, and respond to technological and workplace change. Submissions can be made online, by email or by post, with late submissions not accepted after the February deadline.

Further details through the Public Consultation of Ireland: https://publicconsultation.ie/public-consultation-on-the-action-plan-on-apprenticeship-2026-2030/