Maeve O'Connell (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

14. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to report on the work of officials within his Department on the new further education and training strategy in collaboration with SOLAS following the conclusion of its public consultation earlier this year. [25568/25]

Maeve O'Connell (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

This morning I wish to ask the Minister about the work of the officials in his Department on the new further education and training strategy in collaboration with SOLAS, particularly following the completions of its public consultation earlier this year.

Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The further education and training system is central to the delivery of skills across the country to boost national competitiveness and support inclusion. The Further Education and Training Act 2013 requires SOLAS to prepare a strategy for the provision of further education and training and submit it to the Minister for approval. SOLAS, in partnership with the Department, is progressing the development of the next strategy under these provisions, ensuring that it fully aligns with departmental and Government priorities.

The process for developing the next strategy, the third national strategy for the sector, began last year. SOLAS held several consultation workshops and meetings with more than 800 individuals and stakeholder representatives across the country to identify emerging themes. Officials from the Department worked closely with SOLAS, attending the sectoral consultation workshops. In addition, SOLAS launched a public consultation in January 2025, which resulted in more than 70 submissions from a diverse group of stakeholders. At the moment, SOLAS is considering the feedback and emerging themes from its stakeholder engagements to inform a draft strategy. That will be submitted for consideration to the Department in the coming weeks. Once agreed, the strategy will be launched, subject to the Minister's approval in line with the legislation.

Maeve O'Connell (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I welcome the clarity that the Minister of State provided regarding the 800 individual meetings and 70 submissions to the public consultation. I look forward to hearing more details about that over the coming weeks as that is progressed.

One reason I am raising this issue is the importance of the apprenticeship sector, which this public consultation is dealing with. We have done quite well in raising the numbers from 7,000 registrations to 30,000 registrations. I want to see this momentum continued and hence I am looking forward to the feedback in this consultation.

Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

As background to the strategy, its implementation resulted in significant progress between 2014 and 2019 in the development of the FET sector within the overall education landscape. Of course, we are now looking to the future. The second strategy from 2020-24 set out the role of FET in a more collaborative and cohesive tertiary education system for Ireland. Now, we are looking at the 2025-29 strategy, the third strategy. In developing this strategy, there is an acknowledgement that the FET sector has undergone a significant transformation in the past five years. It is important that we continue with the trajectory in order that FET can be a pivotal driver of sustainable economic growth, workforce development and, particularly, lifelong learning.

Maeve O'Connell (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I welcome the approach of a collaborative strategy. It is worthwhile. All the actors and relevant stakeholders in our third level and further education sector are critical to make this work and create consistencies across the sector. I especially appreciate and welcome the focus on lifelong learning. I also welcome the focus on workforce transformation because we are operating in a transformative world. We have had debates concerning AI and the resources focused on it. This aspect will impact all sectors of our society, even the apprenticeship sector, where something will have to be included in this regard.

John Connolly (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I echo my colleague's sentiments. I look forward to the publication of the new strategy. I compliment the Minister of State and the Department on the work done on the strategy to this point. The Minister, Deputy Lawless, and I last week visited the college of further education in Galway city. We saw the range of skills taught in that institution. Following that, it is very welcome that the college has been given approval to progress to the next stage of the design for its new campus. A high level of tuition is ongoing there and the facilities are of a high standard. It is wonderful to think this would be enhanced for the students attending the institution. The Minister and I met them last week and they come from a wide geographical area. I compliment the Minister of State for her work in this area and I look forward to the progression of this project.

Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

It is very good news that Galway was one of two colleges given approval to proceed to the next step under the FET college of the future major projects fund. A total of 12 colleges have been earmarked and eight of them are progressing now. The Minister announced earlier this week that Galway was one of those eight colleges. Of course, the other four are on stream.

Returning to the Deputy's contribution, it is important to say when we talk about this new FET strategy that it will endeavour to respond to the OECD skills strategy review. This highlights the need for a more balanced educational and skills system. The Deputy mentioned apprenticeships. The 16 ETBs are uniquely positioned within the tertiary education landscape to address those core immediate skills. As the Minister said, we were down yesterday at the Mount Lucas construction training centre with the modern methods of construction, MMC, accelerator platform. It was really good to see some of the positive things happening.