Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 July 2014
76. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to provide capital budgets in order to support the development of SOLAS programmes by education and training boards across the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31732/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraSOLAS currently receives a small capital budget which relates to the training centre network formerly managed by FÁS and now transferred to the Education and Training Boards (ETBs). This funding is now allocated by SOLAS as appropriate to the relevant ETBs managing the training centres. While there is no dedicated capital budget for further education (former VEC) programmes a small amount of funding is allocated annually to ETBs in response to applications for funding for emergency works. In 2013 a total of €736,000 in such funding was allocated.
The recent FET strategy suggested that a dedicated capital funding provision should be a feature of allocations to the ETBs in order to support changes set out in the strategy and the development of further education and training services to learners. This will be considered in the context of the overall capital funding needs of the education and training sector.
