Labour Youth supports the ‘AXE the TAX on TRAINING’ campaign launched by the Union of Students in Ireland and the Technical Engineering and Electrical Union and supported by Labour MEP Emer Costello.

The campaign is calling for the fees which range from €833 to €1433 on all apprentices attending Institutes of Technology for off-the-job training to be removed.

Labour Youth National Chairperson Ciarán Garrett said, “We believe that the introduction of training fees for apprentices runs contrary to the Government’s programme of up-skilling and retraining the workforce. These fees act as a financial barrier for young and unemployed people seeking access to apprenticeships. Apprentices are amongst the lowest paid workers in the country and to expect them to be able to afford fees ranging from €833 to €1433 is not only unrealistic but deeply unfair.”

“Labour Youth wants to see apprenticeship programmes funded with alternative sources of funding such as the European Social Fund and the new Erasmus+ programme rather than loading heavy fees on apprentices.”

ENDS