Vol. 499 No. 1
889 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Science the capital and current expenditure allocated to the institutes of technology for apprenticeship training and education over the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28440/98]
The allocation of funding to the institutes of technology for apprenticeship training and education is included as part of the overall current budget allocation for each year. In 1998, due to the increased numbers of apprentices to be provided for, a special additional allocation of £859,541 was allowed in the recurrent grant allocation to the institutes of technology.
My Department has recently approved capital expenditure in excess of £3.6 million for the purchase of equipment and the provision of training facilities at a number of educational institutions to meet the needs of apprenticeship training and education.
Further capital investment of the order of £10 million out of the Scientific and Technological Education (Investment) Fund is being made available by my Department to provide new and enhanced apprentice training facilities mainly to serve the Dublin and Cork regions.
