Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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506. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if all further educational institutes are required to devise and submit strategic and development plans for their campus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47678/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Strategic Performance Agreements between SOLAS and each of the 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs), set out Further Education and Training (FET) direction and commitments over a three year period, including each ETB’s contribution to national FET system targets. The agreements stipulate how ETBs will deliver on national policy and strategies while reflecting the evolving social and economic needs of the region. The Strategic Performance Agreements have supported the shift to a more strategic, integrated, quality and outcomes-focused approach in FET.

The new National Development Plan (NDP) provides for a major step up in capital funding for the FET sector with an increase from less than €20m last year to approximately €100m by 2025. While the previous NDP marked a turning point with the introduction, for the first time, of a dedicated capital envelope for the FET sector, the new NDP will enable a transition to a more ambitious and strategic approach to the development of FET infrastructure. The new NDP will support the development of FET Colleges of the Future, to consolidate high quality provision in key locations, while retaining a strong community-based presence. Significant planning work and capacity development is required to underpin this major programme of FET investment, including by ETBs. My Department is working with SOLAS to build up the structures to enable strategic planning for a capital programme for the FET sector.