Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank my colleague, Senator Kyne, for raising this important matter in respect of GRETB's plans for a new and enlarged further education and training campus in Galway city. I echo the Senator's views. This is an extremely exciting proposition because I understand what GRETB wants to do is to build a brand new college of further education, what we call a further education and training, FET, college of the future. This will enable capacity in further education in Galway to be increased by approximately 40% and, as the Senator has rightly said, will also enable a very significant increase in apprenticeship spaces, which is something we are really putting a focus on. Most excitingly, it will enable very good links to be established between the Atlantic Technological University, ATU, further education and training in Galway and what we now call the University of Galway because the site that has been chosen in Mervue is adjacent to the ATU and in very close proximity to the University of Galway. I also take the opportunity today to recognise the pivotal role that GRETB plays in the provision of further education and training right across the western region. It is the second largest ETB in the country and catered for 10,295 learners in 2021.

As the Senator alluded to, earlier this year, I announced our most ambitious new phase of capital investment in our further education sector ever. We intend to spend very serious amounts of public money to put in place the infrastructure for further education and training right across our country. This key investment will support projects that drive reform of the further education and training sector and increase capacity. The establishment of centres of excellence will also be a focus, as will the creation of a unified third level education sector in which FET and higher education work together.

As Senator Kyne rightly said, GRETB submitted an application under the FET college of the future funding programme for the establishment of a new FET college of the future on a site it owns in Galway city. The proposal submitted by GRETB has now been assessed alongside other proposals from the sector to determine which projects will proceed to the next phase of development. The assessment process for this programme consists of two phases. The first phase was led by SOLAS and has been completed. Proposals that have been successful at the first stage will hear news in the coming days. Those proposals will then be assessed in greater depth but, crucially, will be supported by my own Department and SOLAS to ensure they comply with the public spending code.

Any investment made will support an ambitious transformation agenda, realising the full potential of the sector and ensuring that the further education and training sector is no longer the poor relation or Cinderella when it comes to investment in third level education. I am not in a position to make an announcement today but I am in a position to confirm that I will be in Galway with Senator Kyne next week, when an update on this project will be provided and an announcement as to its status will be made. This is a really exciting project for Galway, for the western region and for the creation of a unified tertiary education system.

In 2021, my Department provided funding to GRETB to acquire a building adjacent to its current training centre and FET headquarters in Galway. The development of this new facility will also provide a range of new craft workshops to deliver more full-time and part-time further education programmes in the future. The investment we made last year will lead to an increase in training capacity from approximately 216 apprentices per year to over 400 apprentices per year, with the potential to increase to over 600 apprentices. We are making big investments in Galway already. As can be seen, the number of apprentices continues to increase. I hope my favourable comments this morning provide some reassurance to the Senator of the significance of this application and my level of excitement about it. I will be in Galway with him next week to visit the ETB and I will provide an update at that stage.