National Training Fund

Wednesday, 24 March 2021

Questions (1159)

Rose Conway-Walsh

Question:

1159. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the funding allocated to enterprise focused higher education provision in each year since 2017, in tabular form; if there are measurable objectives associated with the funding; if it is intended only to move Exchequer funding of recurring costs from the Exchequer to the national training fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15444/21]

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Written answers

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science

National Training Fund (NTF) expenditure includes an allocation for enterprise focused higher education provision.

The purpose of the NTF Enterprise Focused provision is to provide skills-related recurrent funding in support of higher education programmes that are particularly oriented towards meeting labour market needs. The full and partial NTF funding of specific programmes, previously funded through the voted exchequer funding, aligns with the recommendations of the 2018 independent NTF review which was undertaken by Indecon.

The NTF Enterprise Focused provision is allocated to institutions via the Higher Education Authority (HEA); contributing towards the recurrent grant and ‘Free Fees’. The student numbers associated with the identified skills areas are monitored on an annual basis by the HEA.

Details of the 2017 to 2021 allocation under the NTF Enterprise Focussed Provision are set out below:

-	Outturn 2017	Outturn 2018	Outturn 2019	*Provisional 2020 Outturn	Provisional 2021
NTF - Enterprise Focused HE Provision	€5.6m	€37m	€120.1m	€177.6m	€148.35m

*Includes additional funding allocated under the July Stimulus Package towards postgraduate and modular skills provision, original allocation was €148,352,000.

Question No. 1160 answered with Question No. 1142.