Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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297. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number and detail of all completed, ongoing and planned projects under the higher education strategic infrastructure fund; the level of co-financing being provided through the fund; the total cost of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58087/21]

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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298. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the higher education strategic infrastructure fund is exclusively for traditional universities with independent borrowing power therefore excluding technological universities and institutes of technology; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58088/21]

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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299. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the total available funding under the higher education strategic infrastructure fund; the criteria used for allocating funding under the fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58089/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 297 to 299, inclusive, together.

The funding allocations under the co-funded Higher Education Strategic Infrastructure Fund (HESIF) programme were done by way of competitive call against set criteria outlined in the call document. The criteria included, quality and impact, value for money, capacity to deliver and alignment with Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) strategy.

Applications were invited from Universities, TUs/IoTs and other colleges. The HESIF applications were appraised by a HEA-led team under the terms and conditions that issued to the Institutions in January and March 2019.

Applications from 15 HEIs were received (see attached table) and assessed with the five successful projects listed below.

The proposed exchequer investment of up to €96.6m across the 5 projects will leverage c€411m in non-exchequer funding. It will deliver c70,000m² of additional capacity across the HEIs, while also relieving pressures on existing facilities.

As the Deputy will be aware, delivery of projects in the higher education sector is devolved to the higher education institutions. Responsibility for the planning and procurement processes, as well as project delivery timelines, all fall within the remit of the HEIs. The projects identified above are now at various stages, from planning and design to construction.

Project reporting to the HEA is in line with agreed Devolved Control Procedures.

<a href="https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/debates/questions/supportingDocumentation/2021-11-25_pq297-298-299-25-11-2021_en.docx ">HESIF Projects</a>