Written answers

Thursday, 21 October 2021

Department of Education and Skills

Third Level Education

Photo of Colm BurkeColm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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262. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which the funding for capital works and equipment at UCC and the Munster Technological University will be disbursed; if the funding will be put to use in the current academic year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51855/21]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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It is a priority for my Department to support Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), including University College Cork (UCC) and Munster Technological University (MTU), in their critical role as drivers of social and economic development in their regions.  Funding for capital works is generally distributed through the HEA to HEIs in the form of project-specific grants or devolved grant type funding.

The recently launched National Development Plan confirmed overall capital allocations for the period to 2025. I expect competitive programmes to be launched in the coming months that will allow HEIs including UCC & MTU to put forward additional proposals that address strategic priorities for the sector. 

Projects which are currently approved in UCC and MTU include;

- A new Learning Resource Centre is planned for MTU Cork and a new STEM building is planned for MTU Tralee under the Higher Education Public Private Partnership (HEPPP) Programme.  Both of these projects are part of Bundle 1 of the HEPPP Programme.  This Bundle is currently at procurement stage and construction is expected to begin in Q2 2022.

- MTU Cork has also received approval for funding for upgrades to the main 1974 campus building under the Higher Education Refurbishment and Upgrade Fund. The programme of works will be phased over a number of years to minimise disruption to students and staff.  The roof upgrade phase was completed in 2020 and further works are planned under this funding.

- In addition MTU has been approved funding in 2021 for three apprenticeships projects - electrical and metal fabrication apprenticeships (MTU Cork) and electrical apprenticeship (MTU Tralee).

- UCC has been approved for funding of €25m under the Higher Education Strategic Infrastructure Fund to co-fund a new custom built Business School building in Cork city centre.  CUBS was established in 2014, produces almost 1,000 business graduates each year and is committed to enrolling an additional 980 students over the next decade. 

- UCC was also among eight higher education institutions approved in 2020 to progress projects under the Energy Efficiency and Decarbonisation Pathfinder Programme co-funded with SEAI. 

The first tranche of the 2021 Devolved Grant funding was also paid out in August of this year with the second tranche to be paid by year end.  This funding issued to the higher education sector allows eligible HEIs, including UCC and MTU the flexibility to advance minor capital works (including health and safety works, access works, refurbishment and energy upgrades) and equipment purchase or renewal, including ICT.  It is the responsibility of individual HEI to prioritise the works against which the funding will be deployed.

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