Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 September 2022
1345. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the main areas of expenditure funded by the National Training Fund in 2022; the organisations which received funding in 2022; if the Higher Education Authority receives funding from the NTF; if so, the amount; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43754/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra1347. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will confirm whether legislation would be required for funding from the National Training Fund to be provided to third-level institutions through the Higher Education Authority and the recurrent grant allocation model to fund day-to-day expenditure through the block grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43756/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1345 and 1347 together.
The National Training Fund (NTF) established by the National Training Fund Act, 2000, is a dedicated fund to support the training of those in employment and those seeking employment. The Act also provides for the funding of research to provide information on existing and likely future skills requirements of the economy. Funding from the NTF is allocated by my Department with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, in accordance with the provisions of the National Training Fund Act, 2000.
The organisations receiving funding from the NTF in 2022 include SOLAS, the Higher Education Authority (HEA), Skillnet Ireland, IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, The Wheel, the Institute of Engineers Ireland and the Departments of Social Protection and Enterprise Trade and Employment as well as my own Department. Details of the funding allocated for 2022 and the relevant schemes are set out in the attached table.
In accordance with section 7 of the NTF Act 2000, schemes to raise the skills of those in employment, or to provide training to those who wish to acquire skills for the purposes of taking up employment can be supported by the NTF, as well as schemes to provide information in relation to existing, or likely future, requirements for skills in the economy.
As can be seen from the table, the 2022 allocation for the HEA is some €306 million supporting apprenticeship provision, Springboard, as well as funding innovative approaches through the Human Capital Initiative and delivering enterprise focused programmes, which are responsive to skills needs. While the allocation under the NTF Enterprise Focused Higher Education provision is included in the overall recurrent grant to the sector as administered via the HEA through the recurrent grant allocation model while the other NTF allocations are not included as part of the recurrent grant to the sector.
The allocation for each scheme under the NTF is generally determined as part of the annual Estimates process with the NTF being included as an annex to the published Estimates of my Department. As the Deputy will appreciate the exact source of funding, whether Exchequer or NTF, is subject to future budget considerations.
|
Programmes for those in Employment |
Organisation |
€m |
|
|
Apprenticeship |
SOLAS |
149.483 |
|
|
HEA |
56.500 |
||
|
Training Networks Programme |
Skillnet Ireland |
47.449 |
|
|
Traineeships |
SOLAS |
2.900 |
|
|
Training Grants to Industry |
IDA Ireland |
3.000 |
|
|
Enterprise Ireland |
3.500 |
||
|
Community & Voluntary Organisations |
The Wheel |
1.140 |
|
|
Employee and Continuing Professional Development |
SOLAS |
23.300 |
|
|
Engineers Ireland |
0.400 |
||
|
Regional Skills Innovation |
DFHERIS/Regional Skills Fora |
0.800 |
|
|
Springboard |
HEA |
31.050 |
|
|
Subtotal |
319.522 |
||
|
Skills acquisition for the purposes of taking up Employment |
|||
|
Training People for Employment |
SOLAS |
194.189 |
|
|
Enterprise Focused Higher Education |
HEA |
148.352 |
|
|
Springboard |
HEA |
10.388 |
|
|
Training Networks Programme |
Skillnet Ireland |
5.449 |
|
|
European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) |
DFHERIS |
0.050 |
|
|
Technical Employment Support Grant |
DSP |
2.500 |
|
|
Community Employment Training |
DSP |
4.200 |
|
|
Work Placement Experience Programme (WPEP) |
DSP |
17.300 |
|
|
Human Capital Initiative |
HEA |
60.000 |
|
|
Subtotal |
442.428 |
||
|
Provision of Information on Skills Requirements |
|||
|
SLMRU |
SOLAS |
0.630 |
|
|
EGFSN |
DETE |
0.557 |
|
|
Regional Skills and Research |
DFHERIS |
1.886 |
|
|
Subtotal |
3.073 |
||
|
Total |
765.023 |
