Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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528. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will address a matter regarding outdoor education (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8110/23]

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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Kerry Education and Training Board (ETB) traditionally provided an Outdoor and Environmental Education service from the Cappanalea Outdoor Education & Training Centre (OETC) and the Killarney National Park Education Centre on a self-financing basis to schools and youth groups.

In September 2020, Cappanalea OETC was re-designated by Kerry ETB and it became a full Further Education and Training (FET) Campus under Kerry College, which is fully funded by SOLAS. The role of this re-designated Kerry College Killorglin Campus (Outdoor Education and Training) has evolved in line with its strong remit to provide outdoor activity education and training for Kerry. It places particular emphasis on educating and training learners for employment in the Outdoors Activity and Tourism Sector and it also provides upskilling for teachers and youth workers in the area of outdoor education.

Kerry ETB is conscious of current demand for education and training programmes for schools and youth groups. In light of this, it has developed interventions which will provide assistance to schools and youth groups who wish to progress this provision.

In late 2022, the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) met with Kerry ETB and it informed Kerry ETB that they would be terminating their agreement to provide environmental education programmes based in the Killarney National Park. The NPWS also informed Kerry ETB that they would be assuming responsibility for providing these environmental education programmes and activities directly.