Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 March 2015
490. Deputy Regina Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the training and further education budgets available to all SOLAS, formerly FÁS, employees by region; if she will provide a breakdown of the types of training and further education course by region, office and year for the past 34 years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10427/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, there has been a very significant reform of the Further Education and Training Sector in recent years, including the establishment of SOLAS as the Further Education and Training Authority and the amalgamation of the former Vocational Education Committees nationwide to form 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs). These ETBs have also taken on responsibility for the former FÁS Training Centres and all the training activity delivered and contracted by them.
In 2014, a co-ordinated service plan for the sector was published by SOLAS. This brings together, for the first time, provision and expenditure by ETB region across education and training and is available at http://solas.ie/docs/FETServicesPlan.pdf.
SOLAS is currently working on the preparation of the 2015 Service Plan in conjunction with the Education and Training Boards.
