Peter Cleere (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)

I welcome the opportunity for statements on the importance of higher education. I am a huge advocate of lifelong learning. A cornerstone of Ireland's economic success has been our highly skilled and talented workforce. Since we embraced FDI and enabled access to second level education for all, knowledge and talent have been the pillars of our economic strategy and have served this country very well. Ongoing investment in further and higher education is core to our ambition to deliver sustainable economic growth. The Government has to ensure investment offers opportunity to every person in this State, while remaining agile enough to address key skills challenges faced by our country and embrace new and emerging technologies and work practices.

I was a member of Kilkenny-Carlow ETB for over ten years, seven of which I was fortunate enough to spend as chairperson. It was confirmed with huge excitement recently that a new state-of-the-art flagship education and training campus in Kilkenny was finally going to become a reality after it was announced a site had been purchased for the new college. It is important to note that delivery of this project for the region has been the ambition of the executive team and board, and a personal ambition of mine, for a number of years. A site was purchased on the outskirts of Kilkenny city which will cater for up to 5,000 students. This, together with the decision to proceed the project to the design and planning stage, marks the next step in delivering a new third level college campus in Kilkenny city. Government funding to the tune of tens of millions of euro will be required to drive the development of the site and create a new state-of-the-art education and training campus for Kilkenny-Carlow ETB. The purchase of the 15-acre site has been signed but we need urgency to see this become a campus that will deliver so much for the learners, staff and community of Kilkenny-Carlow ETB.

At the moment, further education and training provision in Kilkenny is scattered around 15 locations in the city but we need FET to be brought together in one modern high-spec facility where learners will have the opportunity to progress in the best possible facilities. This proposed new integrated FET college has been a key strategic priority for KCETB and will transform the learning opportunities available in our communities. It will provide for the future skill needs of local industries and create a talent pipeline of graduates available to live and work in Kilkenny. Kilkenny needs this new campus. It will provide a growing range of specialist courses and apprenticeships which will have long-lasting benefits for Kilkenny, Carlow and the south-east region. I am looking for the Minister of State and the Government to support and fast-track this development to ensure Kilkenny gets its FET campus as soon as possible.

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