The 2015 further education and training service planning process is currently underway in all Education and Training Boards (ETBs), supported by SOLAS. Until this process is complete it is not possible to be definitive about training allocations in Category 3 ETBs. Assuming a similar level of provision for training as in 2014, the expected training allocations for the 5 ETBs without a Centre in 2015 is estimated as follows: Cavan Monaghan, €6.8 million; Kildare Wicklow, €9.4 million; Kilkenny Carlow, €9 million; Laois Offaly, €6 million; Tipperary, €8 million.
A National Education and Training Boards Steering Committee, consisting of the 5 ETBs which do not have training centres and the 5 ETBs which provide training services on their behalf, has been established by the sector to facilitate the transfer of staffing and budgets to the category 3 ETBs to enable them to undertake responsibility for delivery of training in their functional areas by the target date of 1 July 2015. The steering Committee last met on 16th January and a further meeting has been arranged for 9th February next. As part of this process, engagement is being facilitated between the ETBs concerned with a view to determining the resources which will transfer from the ETBs with training centres to the ETBs currently without training centres to enable the target date to be met.
