Written answers
Wednesday, 8 December 2021
Department of Education and Skills
Covid-19 Pandemic Supports
Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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105. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the breakdown of the €118.5 million of non-voted Covid-19 expenditure from the National Training Fund in 2021; the total expenditure from the National Training Fund for 2021 including the €118.5 million; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60609/21]
Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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The breakdown of the €118.5 million Covid expenditure allocations approved from the National Training Fund in 2021 along with the overall 2021 allocations are set out in the following table:
| 2021 Total Allocation | Includes COVID allocation | |
|---|---|---|
| €m | €m | |
| Programmes for those in Employment | ||
| Apprenticeship | 198.373 | 26 |
| Training Networks Programme | 35.449 | 2 |
| Traineeships | 2.9 | |
| Training Grants to Industry | 6.5 | |
| Community & Voluntary Organisations | 1.02 | 0.12 |
| Employee and Continuing Professional Development | 23.7 | 3.15 |
| Regional Skills Innovation | 0.8 | |
| Springboard | 31.05 | 3.5 |
| 299.792 | ||
| Skills acquisition for the purposes of taking up Employment | ||
| Training People for Employment | 207.288 | 77.099 |
| Enterprise Focused Higher Education | 148.352 | |
| Springboard | 10.388 | 3.5 |
| Training Networks Programme | 5.449 | 3 |
| European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) | 0.05 | |
| Technical Employment Support Grant | 2.5 | |
| Community Employment Training | 4.2 | |
| Work Placement Experience Programme (WPEP) | 0 | |
| Human Capital Initiative | 60 | |
| 438.227 | ||
| Provision of Information on Skills Requirements | ||
| Provision of Information on Skills Requirements | 3.204 | 0.131 |
| Bank Charges | 0.05 | |
| Total Expenditure: | 741.273 | 118.5 |
The total expenditure incurred under the NTF in 2021 will be known at the end of the year following the processing of all payment applications by my Department.
Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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106. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the breakdown of the €105 million Covid-19 expenditure in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60610/21]
Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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In July I announced Government approval for €105 million for the third level sector to safely reopen in September 2021 in line with public health advice.
The package includes financial support for further and higher education to return on-site safely in line with public health advice and additional supports for students in further and higher education.
This funding will allow Higher Education Institutions and Education and Training Boards to safely and carefully maximise on-site provision of teaching, learning, research and other on-site activities. With thanks to efforts in the sector so far, we have seen approximately 400,000 learners return to on-site activity.
The funding package includes:
- €73m Support costs incurred by HEIs and ETBs in supporting dealing with challenges presented by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic
- €2 Immediate and intensive promotional Campaign to maximise enrolments by
- International Students for 2021/2022.
- €21 million of this funding will be allocated to provide specific extra supports for students:
- an extra €3m for student mental health
- an extra €10m for the Student Assistance Fund which provides financial supports to students experiencing financial difficulties while in college
- and €8m for the Mitigating Educational Disadvantage Fund which supports and engages disadvantaged learners
In addition a €9million contingency fund was provided in supporting Covid-19 testing for students.
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