Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 February 2022
140. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the level of support provided to further and higher education institutions to invest in capital equipment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6313/22]
View answerA Devolved Capital Grant is provided to the higher and further education sectors with an allocation of just over €48m in 2021 (€40m higher education and just over €8m FET).
The purpose of the Devolved Capital Grant is to provide flexible capital funding to eligible higher education institutions and ETBs to support small-scale building works and equipment purchase or renewal, including ICT and non-apprenticeship equipment.
This is in addition to an apprenticeship-specific capital grant scheme, jointly administered by the HEA and SOLAS with an allocation of €20m (€10m FET and €10m higher education) in 2021/22.
On 22 July 2020, the Government approved a €168 million package of supports for the further and higher education sectors to deal with the impacts of COVID-19. €15 million of this was earmarked for devices to support disadvantaged students.
The decision to allocate funding in this area responded to concerns raised by higher and further education providers, and by student representatives, regarding the digital divide in the context of the shift to online and blended models of learning as a result of COVID-19. €10 million was provided to the higher education sector and €5 million to the further education sector. ICT devices, including 21,336 laptops, were procured under the scheme.
