I thank the Deputy for his warm words. In 2022, two new capital infrastructure programmes were launched to provide for significant investment in further education and training, FET. These programmes are the FET college of the future major projects fund and the strategic infrastructure upgrade fund. The college of the future major projects fund will support projects that can help drive reform of the FET sector, including through consolidation of provision, the integration of further education and training, the realisation of centres of excellence, and unified tertiary planning.
During this year, ETBs that are progressing proposals under the FET college of the future major projects fund will build on the significant work already completed in further developing and refining their proposals to bring a clearer focus on proposals to meet the required priority infrastructure. Once business cases are updated, they will be evaluated by SOLAS and my Department. Proposals that meet the required evaluation criteria will move to the next stage of development, which is the planning, procurement and design stage, and this will take place this year.
The strategic infrastructure upgrade fund is a fund to support smaller-scale investments in existing FET infrastructure, while ensuring that works are progressed within the context of an overall strategic plan for buildings and is aligned with college of the future principles. There are currently 19 projects being progressed following this programme call, all at various stages of project development, and these will also be progressed this year.
In 2024 the total available capital budget for the ETB sector is €65.5 million. I have heard quite a lot about the Cavan campus and it is my intention to visit it as soon as possible and to meet the local ETB in this context.