Donna McGettigan (Clare, Sinn Fein)

I move amendment No. 1:

In page 3, between lines 18 and 19, to insert the following: “(c) these payments to only relate to training and upskilling and not for any other purpose;

these payments to only relate to the construction or reconstruction (not retrofitting) of a premises that is only used for training and educational purposes.”.”.

The diversion of a portion of the employer-contributed fund to cover costs typically associated with Exchequer capital expenditure, such as retrofitting or repair of a premises, means a fundamental and unacceptable deviation from the core mandate of the National Training Fund, NTF, to measures other than direct skills and training initiatives and could rapidly deplete the surplus without delivering any impact on skills development. That is why I have tabled this amendment, which stipulates that any moneys used for the purchase of land, construction or reconstruction only be used for training, upskilling and educational purposes. We may have a verbal guarantee now that it will not happen, but there is no guarantee that a future Minister will not change that. I welcome that this NTF funding will be unlocked and commend the Minister on working on this, but this amendment is important.

See this speech in context