Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 8 May 2024
646. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the 2023 and 2024 budget allocation for near zero energy building training centres of excellence; and the amount of that budget that has been spent. [20162/24]
View answerNear Zero Energy Building/ Retrofit training is an important step in meeting the Government’s ambitious target to retrofit 500,000 homes to BER B2 standards by 2030 as set out in the National Retrofit Plan.
The development of a national suite of NZEB Centres of Excellence is key to providing workers with the skills and knowledge required to reach this goal. Six centres are currently operated by Education and Training Boards across the country. The number of workers availing of these opportunities has increased steadily since the first centre was opened in 2020. There was a record 4,452 enrolments in 2023.
Capital investment was made in NZEB Centres of Excellence in Cork and Limerick during 2023 to values of €206,489.69 and €225,312.13, respectively.
In 2024, the Sligo centre in Collooney has been approved for capital funding at the level of €1.8m. Tendering is ongoing which may lead to a cost change. No funding has yet been drawn down.
An amount of €850,000 for capital has been allocated for a centre in Ballyfermot for 2024.
No additional capital funding was allocated in the budget to LOETB or WWETB for NZEB in 2023/ 2024.
LOETB has been allocated €4,897,880 under the Strategic Infrastructure Upgrade Fund to deliver a new building to support teaching in the existing NZEB centre and as part of activities associated with the National Construction Campus. No funds have yet been spent but there is an expectation that draw-down will commence towards the end of 2024.
Programme development and delivery costs are managed by each ETB and allocated through the existing funding protocol between them and SOLAS.
