Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 November 2004
3 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Education and Science the measures she proposes to take to address the massive deficit that exists in the institute of technology sector in light of the recent Kelly report. [30720/04]
View answerRecently I announced an end to the freeze on spending on capital programmes in the third level sector and that I was proceeding to implement the Kelly report. In so doing, I indicated that certain high priority projects identified in the Kelly report would be proceeding immediately. These include building projects needed to support the significant expansion in recent years of teacher training places, as well as those associated with skills initiatives that have been aimed at addressing critical health skills shortages in the physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, pharmacy, radiography, social work and clinical psychology areas. Skills supply in those areas is critical to delivery on the Government's health strategy.
My recent announcements should be regarded as a critical first step in implementation that will deal with a number of projects delayed significantly since 2002. Many further priority projects are identified by the Kelly review group and a large proportion of these are in the institutes of technology area. These will now be considered in the context of the overall funding available to me when the multi-annual capital envelope for the education sector is determined in the budget next week.
I have stated on a number of occasions that my intention as Minister is to address the priority needs that exist at and within each level of the education system. There has been considerable capital investment in the institutes of technology since 1997. The institutes received a majority of the capital available between 1997 and 2002. The Kelly report identifies further significant investment needed within the institutes and I look forward to addressing the priorities identified going forward.
In the Estimates in 2002, the Minister announced that there would be a pause in all capital projects and any new spending proposals would have to go through a review process. Recently, the Minister lifted this pause in spending to give the go-ahead to ten projects. While this was a positive step, it was regrettable that none of the projects approved were in the institute of technology sector.
The Minister established a group under the chairmanship of Mr. Kevin Kelly and it called for €171 million of funding for the institute of technology sector. How much money will be allocated for structural development in that sector? Does the Minister intend to implement the Kelly report in full and, if so, is there a timeframe for its implementation? How soon will it be completed?
The Kelly report examined the prioritisation of capital projects within the higher education sector and it was on the basis of those priorities that I allocated the money to the teacher training colleges and the therapy courses. The Kelly report also examined the institutes of technology. Projects for the entire third level sector include 97 major projects that will cost €933 million. Out of those, the report identified €629 million for 54 projects in the institutes of technology, including the Dublin Institute of Technology, over a ten-year period. That is a substantial sum and we will have to look within the overall priorities of the Government in an effort to address the capital needs throughout the sector. I will not have my full budget until budget day but I aim to make as much progress as possible in meeting priority needs.
Will the Minister indicate how much she intends to spend in the institute of technology sector in the coming year?
I cannot because I do not know how much I will have.
