Strengthening craft apprenticeships is a key objective of the Action Plan for Apprenticeship, reflecting their importance in meeting Ireland’s infrastructure goals and skills needs. To enhance quality assurance and align responsibility with educational expertise, Minister Lawless directed in October 2025 that responsibility for craft curriculum development, assessment and awarding transfer from SOLAS and Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) to education providers. The resulting Craft Transfer Plan establishes the governance, oversight, timelines and risk management arrangements required to support this transition, drawing on findings from the 2025 QQI statutory review of craft apprenticeship quality assurance.

The transfer is being jointly led by the Department of Further and Higher Education Research Innovation and Science (DFHERIS), SOLAS, the Higher Education Authority (HEA) and Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) in partnership with Further Education and Training (FET) and Higher Education (HE) providers. A high-level plan was approved in January 2026, with a detailed implementation plan now underway. Delivery is supported by dedicated governance structures, provider-led alliances and project teams to ensure continuity for apprentices and employers throughout the transition. The transfer is scheduled for completion by Q4 2027.

Stakeholders will continue to be engaged with throughout the lifecycle of the project through a quarterly newsletter and FAQs. The latest newsletter and FAQs can be found in the documents on this webpage.