Vol. 473 No. 5
61 Mr. N. Treacy asked the Minister for Education if she will sanction an increased capital allocation of £20 million per annum, commencing in 1997, for the regional technical college sector, as a result of a report presented to her in November 1996; the date on which sanction will be given; the amount of money to be allocated to each regional technical college; the facilities to be provided at each location; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1615/97]
A sum of £20.85 million has been included in the 1997 Capital Estimates provision for the regional technical colleges and the Dublin Institute of Technology. It will ensure the continuation of the ongoing rolling capital investment programme for the sector. In particular in so far as the regional technical colleges and the Dublin Institute of Technology are concerned it will allow for a further major step to be taken in the implementation of the £73.5 million European Regional Development Fund programme. This initiative which I first announced in January 1994 is geared towards the construction of new facilities and upgrading of existing infrastructure to facilitate a much needed expansion of the third level system; the development of a supply of highly skilled manpower, with a view to meeting the skill needs of existing industry and to attract foreign investment; providing support for indigenous industry by generating the research capacity to introduce and dissemination of state-of-the-art technology, the development of new products and the upgrading of existing products; strengthening the links between educational institutions and researchers and industry in various fields; and improving remedial action to combat social and regional inequalities in participation at third level.
Consideration is at present being given by my Department to the report presented by the regional technical colleges in November 1996.
The matter, however, of any increased capital allocation for the colleges will have to take account of overall priorities and available resource constraints.
