Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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238. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of facilities (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21515/22]

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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My officials have engaged with Kerry Education and Training Board (KETB) regarding this matter.

Traditionally KETB provided an Outdoor and Environmental Education service from the Cappanalea OEC and the Killarney National Park Education Centre on a self-financing basis to schools and youth groups.  These services were disrupted during the Covid pandemic.  At the same time, the former Cappanalea OEC was re-designated by KETB and became a full Further Education and Training (FET) Campus under Kerry College from September 2020.  The role of this re-designated Kerry College Killorglin Campus (Outdoor Education and Training) has evolved with its remit is to provide Outdoor Activity Education and Training for Kerry with particular emphasis on educating and training learners for employment in the outdoors activity and tourism sector.

Kerry ETB are very conscious of the demand for education and training programmes for schools and youth groups and are developing interventions to assist in enabling this provision for schools and youth groups in to the future.   It also provides Environmental Educational Provision with the Killarney National Park Education Centre.