Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)

I thank the Deputy. I appreciate her question, but I will make it very clear that SOLAS has not reduced funding to Tipperary ETB. In fact, Tipperary ETB has been allocated €35.5 million by SOLAS in 2025, which is an increase of €1.1 million on the 2024 allocation. There are no cuts and there is no reduction. As the Deputy knows, SOLAS allocates funding to ETBs to deliver their programmes within a certain budget. I visited Tipperary ETB just last week and was highly impressed with the work it is doing. I can tell the Deputy that more than 9,600 learner enrolments across various programmes, including PLC, Youthreach, apprenticeships, upskilling and adult education, are occurring there.

One of the initiatives the Deputy spoke about was the local training initiative, LTI, which is funded annually. It is tailored to meet specific community needs and is subject to an annual review. In the 2024-25 academic year, the Cashel LTI had capacity for 16 learners. I am advised that 14 learners enrolled in September 2024 and of these, ten completed the programme to June and seven successfully achieved QQI level 4. To be clear, the Cashel LTI was fully funded by Tipperary ETB in 2024-25. I have been advised that following a comprehensive review to align services with an annual budget, Tipperary ETB made the very difficult decision not to continue funding four of its LTIs, including Cashel, due to high costs and low learner numbers. At present, it is exploring, and this is very important, alternative provision options to support the learner cohort that would normally be served by these LTIs.

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