Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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96. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the up-to-date position and timelines for the redevelopment of the former Pretty Polly site in Killarney as an education centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15786/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I was delighted to announce late last year that Kerry ETB’s proposal for Killarney under the College of the Future Major Projects fund was successful at the first stage of the assessment process.

This proposal will now move to the next stage of development, which will entail the development of a preliminary business case in line with public spending code requirements. My department has worked closely with SOLAS over the past number of months in developing a suite of templates and guidance notes in line with the public spending code requirements for this stage. SOLAS and officials from my department are scheduled to meet with Kerry ETB this week as part of a workshop to provide an overview of these templates.

This is a really exciting project for Kerry. This is taking a derelict site and repurposing and transforming into a state-of-the-art campus. The ambition for the centre is significant. The proposal looks at developing into a Specialist Centre of Skills Development in Hospitality Training, while supporting Renewable Energy and Sustainable Green Technologies. The development will bring the FET facility of its kind to Killarney and South Kerry. My Department and I remain committed to supporting Further Education Institutes and the wider sector in achieving their vision for FET education and provision.

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, where an Education and Training Board (ETB) or PLC college employs personal assistants to provide services under the Fund for Students with Disabilities (FSD), responsibility for the terms of employment rests with the individual ETB/ Further Education College. SOLAS provides FSD funding to the ETBs who manage the funding allocations to PLC colleges for services and accommodations required to support students with disabilities in accordance with the guidelines issued by SOLAS.

The Strategic Performance Agreements for 2022-24 agreed between SOLAS and the individual ETBs provide for the rolling out of the FSD across all FET provision. SOLAS has advised the Department that it will be reviewing the learner supports and associated guidelines and my Department has requested SOLAS to examine the provision of personal assistant services as part of its review.