Nicole Ryan (Sinn Fein)
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The Reach fund was established with a clear purpose to assist ETBs and community education providers in supporting educationally disadvantaged learners, particularly those at NFQ levels 1 to 3, and to help to bridge the digital divide that many rural learners face. It was designed to tackle inequality, promote access and give everyone, regardless of their background, the chance to learn, participate and connect.

The reality on the ground, however, is that this year's drastic reduction in funding is having the opposite effect. Across north Cork, classes that have run for years - community singing, yoga, mindfulness, knitting, crochet and art - are being scrapped because they are deemed non-accredited. I take real issue with that because while these classes may not result in a QQI certification, the outcomes are extraordinary nonetheless. These courses build confidence, community spirit and mental well-being. They combat isolation, particularly among older people, carers and those who are struggling with mental health.

I will take the Millstreet FET centre in my home town of Millstreet as an example. It serves one of the smallest catchment areas in north Cork, yet in the 2024-25 term it had 189 registered learners and submitted more QQI folders than some larger centres. It has become in every sense a community hub, even if it is not officially that. In Millstreet the Singing for the Brain programme has been one of the most powerful community initiatives we have seen. The group performs at nursing homes, hospitals and local concerts. Their music lifts spirits not just for participants but for entire communities. Cork County Council even recorded a short documentary clip because of the success of its project.

Yet today these tutors, who have given so much to their communities, are having to cut their hours or eliminate them entirely because their work is being dismissed as a hobby. The new approach that prioritises QQI accreditation courses at the expense of community-based ones undermines the very ethos of lifelong learning. Not every learner wants or is ready for a certificate. Many simply need connection, purpose and belonging, and that is what the community education provides. I appreciate that the budget constraints are a reality, but we cannot measure the value of community education in accredited hours or test results. When someone who has been isolated for years finds their confidence in a singing group or when an older learner uses a tablet for the first time through a local Reach project, that is success.

I ask the Government to re-examine the criteria under the Reach funding that is allocated for 2025 and to protect the non-accredited community education programmes, especially in rural areas. Millstreet and other small towns like it cannot be expected to compete with larger urban centres under a one-size-fits-all funding model. Community education is not a luxury; it is the foundation of inclusion, resilience and well-being in rural Ireland. I hope the Minister of State can agree that programmes which bring people together, improve mental health and create community connections are worth every cent, even if they do not come with a certificate at the end.

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Senator for the opportunity to allow me, on behalf of the Minister, to clarify this situation concerning the Reach fund in 2025. The Reach fund is a dedicated fund to support the most disadvantaged learners to access education and training provided by ETBs and community education providers.

Investment in community education increased by 52% from 2018 to 2024, from nearly €11 million in 2018 to nearly €17 million in 2024. In recent years this investment has been bolstered by the introduction of the Reach fund. Introduced in 2020, the fund assists ETBs to increase their capacity and that of community education providers to address the decline in participation of disadvantaged learners, particularly those on literacy and basic skills programmes at NFQ levels 1 to 3. Over the years, the fund has helped to tackle inequalities and support access to vital community education. A fundamental goal of the Department, and indeed the Government, is to promote access, collaboration and innovation in community education. The fund places a strong focus on community education as a mechanism to continue to support and engage with disadvantaged learners. It is open to community and youth education groups to apply for funding through their local ETB.

Cork Education and Training Board, the Senator's local ETB, is investing over €500,000 in nearly 45,000 learners in projects right across the area, including a Ballyhoura Development CLG project titled "Empower to employ: Bridging Educational gaps for Job Readiness", which is helping Ukrainian migrants, among others, to prepare for employment.

In terms of the process, at the start of each year SOLAS sets out funding allocations for the Reach fund and guidelines for ETBs for the administration of the funding. These guidelines include details relating to governance, funding categories, how the funding process should operate and reporting requirements. For the 2025 call for the Reach fund, SOLAS issued allocations to ETBs for the fund for just over €5 million. It should be noted that this figure represents an allocation rather than guaranteed expenditure. While €5 million was available for Reach in 2025, only €4.5 million worth of projects met the eligibility criteria and are being funded. In some cases, the full allocation is not disbursed or drawn down. This can occur where applications are submitted late, required documentation is missing or proposals do not meet the programme's guidelines, or there are insufficient applications to fully utilise the funding. In September the Department announced the allocation of Reach funding of over €4.5 million in 2025 for over 700 community projects across Ireland, supporting over 100,000 learners.

The planning and delivery of services by ETBs is rightly a matter for each individual board, taking into account their allocated budgets and the specific needs of their local communities. I believe the Senator will agree that it would be neither practical nor appropriate for a Minister to become involved in the day-to-day operational decisions of these autonomous bodies.

Nicole Ryan (Sinn Fein)
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I am not asking for the Minister to get involved in the day-to-day decisions. In my constituency, Ballyhoura Development CLG, touches only as far as Charleville. IRD Duhallow will touch the rest. What I am talking about are the small FET centres that are not getting this kind of funding and have to cut their services in rural parts, not the huge ones. They cannot compete with the huge ones such as Cork ETB in the city. Small ones like Millstreet, potentially, Macroom and others in small rural towns provide an amazing service for the people there. In rural Ireland there is a lot of isolation. They are not getting the funding they are supposed to be getting. I know this is not part of the Minister of State's brief, but his script has not answered my question. This is not what I asked. It just gives me a load of things that have been done. Again, I am talking about the small FET centres; I am not talking about huge organisations.

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Senator for appreciating that this is not my specific area of responsibility. I will, of course, convey her remarks to the Minister as she has outlined them.