Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 February 2022
61. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the projects that will be progressed in 2022 in the upgrading of existing accommodation and the provision of new accommodation in the further education sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6437/22]
View answerAs the Minister knows, there was a welcome commitment in the national development plan to increase capital investment in the further education sector. I had the opportunity to speak with him on a number of occasions regarding the needs of Cavan Institute and the welcome increase in demand for places in the further education sector. I hope the Minister is in a position to announce a substantial investment in the provision of upgraded accommodation at our colleges of further education and also new build projects.
I thank Deputy Smith for the question. The national development plan commits to a step up in investment in further education and training infrastructure. As the Minister of State, Deputy Collins, outlined, under plans being developed by my Department it is projected that expenditure will increase from less than €20 million in capital funding for further education and training in 2020 to approximately €100 million per year by 2025. That will give the Deputy a sense of the stepped increase.
There are more than 35 projects in the pipeline for delivery in 2022, at various stages of the project lifecycle. They are classified in two main areas, namely, capital projects and emergency health and safety works. The project range includes refurbishment and renovation works, civil works, addressing serious access issues, roof repairs, mechanical and electrical projects, with a focus on safety issues and emergency replacements.
An apprenticeship specific capital grant scheme was, I am pleased to say, introduced for 2021-2022. It has provided €10 million for further education and training and €10 million for higher education, and is jointly administered by SOLAS and the HEA. I am pleased to advise the Deputy that in the coming days I will announce a new and significantly more ambitious phase of capital investment in the further education and training sector. I should be clear; it will be an invitation for projects to come forward. It will provide ETBs with a framework to put forward projects in 2022 to upgrade and enhance the further education and training strategy and advance the priorities of the future further education and training strategy.
I am particularly excited about capital investment, which will be a key enabler of what we call the further education and training college of the future, which the Deputy will have heard me talk about when I visited Cavan Institute. Deputies should expect significant news in respect of a stepped increase in capital investment from the Government for further education and training. From a process point of view, it will be for the ETBs and institutes to come forward.
I thank the Minister for his positive message regarding increased investment. A new building complex was completed in Cavan in 2005.
Cavan Institute was the first dedicated post-leaving certificate college in the country. I and other public representatives were very much involved with the local authority in the transfer of substantial lands at that location to enable the building of the college at that time. There is an increased demand for space and accommodation. I want to see new permanent accommodation. As a layperson, I believe the proper location for that would be adjacent to the existing main building of the college. There is plenty of space there and it would keep the college in the town.
It has been a very successful college and one of the leading further education providers in the country. We spoke about this previously in the House. The Taoiseach has committed to further intensification in the provision of further education on an all-Ireland and cross-Border basis. Given its geographical location, Cavan Institute can be a key provider in ensuring that we step up that collaboration. We have it on an ad hoc basis but we want it structured. That will bring benefits to students on both sides of the Border and throughout the island.
As the Minister knows, the building was built in 2006 to accommodate 420 students. The college has gone from strength to strength which is totally down to the wonderful staff and management, and the commitment from the students and the ETB. As my colleague has said, there is a greenfield site there. There is no need to find a site or anything like that. The college has more than 1,100 students and it needs that new building. Up to now it has been all over the place with sites in multiple locations. As leases are now up, there is a golden opportunity to deliver the new college that is needed for Cavan Institute.
I thank Deputies Brendan Smith and Niamh Smyth for making the case very forcefully for Cavan Institute. I genuinely enjoyed my visit to Cavan Institute and was extremely impressed by what I saw. That followed on from a virtual meeting we had with Cavan Institute. I know that both Deputies understand that I am taking a very personal and active interest in this project.
Commitments were made to Cavan Institute and commitments were made to Dunboyne College. I believe those commitments need to be honoured in addition to any future capital call that may be made for new projects. As Deputy Niamh Smyth mentioned, the multi-location aspect needs to be resolved. It is important to try to consolidate on one site. Work needs to be done in that regard. Rather than getting into the detail of that now, it would be useful for Oireachtas Members from Cavan-Monaghan to meet me to see how we might make further progress. Perhaps, I could visit Cavan again shortly.
I thank the Minister for his reply. Very high standards were set in Cavan Institute from the word go. I had the privilege of being the first chairman of the first board of management of that college. It has carried on a very fine tradition in ensuring that any public representative who visits to college gets a very warm welcome, in particular a Minister making an announcement of major investment in the future. There will always be a strong céad míle fáilte. The money would be put to good use.
Cavan-Monaghan ETB in anticipation of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science's roll-out of the new capital investment programme is preparing a proposal which will meet the criteria. As I have said to the Minister both in this House and in Cavan that day, I believe the preference is to have as much of the accommodation of the college as possible on one site. There is plenty of space there and thanks to the successful negotiation between the then County Cavan VEC and the local authority at the time, a prime piece of land, practically in the town, was made available to the VEC to develop that college. We want the broader expansion of it to ensure it continues to grow and has adequate accommodation for the students attending.
As a Fine Gael Minister, I feel in a very difficult position almost having to referee between the levels of enthusiasm for the project from both Fianna Fáil Deputies, Deputy Brendan Smith and Deputy Niamh Smyth. I notice the very significant links they have with the project. In the interests of keeping the coalition together I should mention my colleagues the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, and Senator Joe O'Reilly. We have had very good visits, very good engagement and very good support from Oireachtas Members on this project. I know how important it is.
I often give the example of a student I met from Cavan Institute who talked to me about the pathway he took. Earlier Deputy Conway-Walsh mentioned a pre-law course. The example I always use is that of Jack, the young man I met from Cavan Institute, who is now studying for law in Maynooth. Cavan Institute gave him that pathway. I was very impressed by the students I spoke to there. One said, "I was not sure about FET, but I have developed and grown as a person, not just educationally but as a person." I am particularly impressed with the kitchen facilities used for the apprenticeship scheme there. I received a very warm welcome the last time I went there. I can only imagine the warmth of the welcome when we get this project over the line together.
That was fantastic teamwork on behalf of Cavan-Monaghan.
It is tough being the referee.
