Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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246. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the amount of funding training boards have been given to build new kitchen facilities in 2014, 2015 and to date in 2016; the amount allocated for 2017; the locations of each of these kitchen and or culinary facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30479/16]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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247. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the culinary curriculum for the education and training boards sector is being set by education and training board Ireland or each individual education and training board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30484/16]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 246 and 247 together.

SOLAS has informed me that it has not allocated any capital funding for new kitchen training facilities in the years 2014, 2015 and 2016. The capital allocation for FET in 2017 has not been finalised at this point. 

Education and Training Boards (ETB) have a statutory responsibility to have their programmes validated by the external quality assurance body Quality and Qualifications Ireland. ETBs are therefore responsible for developing curricula for their programmes. This process  is undertaken collaboratively with other ETBs. 

Apprenticeships are designed to be delivered on a national basis, with only a single apprenticeship in place for each occupation.  The development of the curriculum for the new Commis Chef Apprenticeship Programme is being led by Cork Education and Training Board with industry partners. The occupational profile for this apprenticeship was approved by the Apprenticeship Council and the programme will be available for delivery across the ETBs.

Earlier this year, the Hospitality Skills Oversight Group was established to oversee the implementation of the  recommendations of the 2015 report of the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs in relation to the hospitality sector.

The Group has met several times since it was established and a number of key actions are being progressed including an audit of courses and culinary facilities within both the Further and Higher education sectors with a view to obtaining a complete overview of existing courses and facilities, so as to identify gaps in provision and to encourage collaboration and sharing of facilities where possible.