Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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128. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the distribution of the devolved capital grant; the amount that has been allocated to the Kilkenny and Carlow Education and Training Board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26699/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Since 2021, the Department has disbursed just over €96m in funding for the 2021/22 and 2022/23 academic years under the Devolved Capital Grant to Education and Training Boards (ETBs) and eligible higher education institutions. The Devolved Capital Grant is allocated in accordance with a model based primarily on student numbers, weighted by course type and mode of study.

In April this year I announced €8 million in capital devolved funding for the Further Education and Training (FET) sector and I will be shortly announcing the funding available for the Higher Education Institutions.

The Devolved Capital Grant provides flexible capital funding to ETBs and eligible higher education institutions to support small-scale building works (including health and safety works, access works, refurbishment, energy upgrades etc.) and equipment purchase or renewal, including ICT. It is a matter for individual ETBs and higher education institutions to determine what works are prioritised.

In deployment of the grant, each ETB and higher education institution must ensure value for money, clear prioritisation and demonstrable impact on the capacity to deliver on its strategic goals.

Our third level sector faces significant challenges in responding to climate objectives and these funds will assist with making energy upgrades. It will also ensure our campuses are inclusive and accessible. The funding can be used to make the necessary upgrades to make campuses accessible for people with disabilities.

The 2023 FET Devolved Capital Grant issued to SOLAS in April, for onward distribution to the ETBs, and I can confirm to the Deputy that Kilkenny and Carlow ETB were allocated €435,000 for 2023.

Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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129. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he has met with University College Cork and Munster Technological University with a view to developing a third-level campus on the northside of Cork city. [26654/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I have not been made aware of any plans to develop a new campus on the north side of Cork city. However, my Department is willing to work collaboratively with all higher education institutions and Education Training Boards with the HEA and SOLAS on the development of capital projects in line with their established masterplans.

My Department is currently supporting a number of key ongoing major capital projects in Cork city, including a new Learning Resource Centre on the MTU Cork Campus, which is part of the Higher Education Public Private Partnership Programme, and a major upgrade project to the 1970s Building on the MTU Cork Campus Bishopstown.

UCC is also approved for funding of €25 million under the first phase of the Higher Education Strategic Infrastructure Fund to co-fund a custom-built Business School in Cork city centre.

In addition to this, I launched two new programme calls last year for the Higher Education Sector – the Higher Education Strategic Infrastructure Fund (HESIF II) and Technological Sector Strategic Projects Fund (TSSPF):

• Under the TSSPF programme call, I am pleased to announce that MTU's application in respect of a proposed upgrade, repurposing and extension to facilities at their Bishopstown Campus has been successful in the first stage of the assessment process and is now moving through the next stage of proposal development - the development of a preliminary business case. This proposal will provide core teaching facilities in the areas of Business, Humanities, Engineering, Science, Health and Wellbeing and Tourism.
• Under the HESIF II programme call, UCC submitted an application for re-development of the Kane Science Building. I am happy to relay that, alongside 3 other universities, I most recently announced this project as successful in securing approval in principle for a €25 million share of a €100m capital fund.

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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Cavan Monaghan Education and Training Board (CMETB) provides a broad range of further education and training options in Monaghan Institute and at other locations around County Monaghan. These options include various Adult and Community Education Programmes; PLC courses, Skills to Compete and Skills to Advance courses, Youthreach, as well as Apprenticeships and Traineeships. Tanagh Outdoor Education Centre also provides a range of specialised programmes.

The FET provision in County Monaghan, as across the country, is being supported and expanded by the investment under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025, the Adult Literacy for Life Strategy and Future FET: Transforming Learning, the FET strategy 2020-2024. All 16 ETBs, including CMETB, have in place a Strategic Performance Agreement with SOLAS for the period of 2022-2024. In all agreements each ETB sets out their ambition for achievement across the 12 agreed national targets. In addition, each agreement is effectively an implementation framework for the above strategies, with commitments and actions included to support achievement of the overall Transforming Learning agenda.

CMETB is leading one of 13 projects which are funded nationally by SOLAS under the Skills to Advance Innovation for Collaboration Fund. This project, originally developed for the food sector, focuses on developing key skills in Business Innovation and Market Development applicable to a range of business sectors. It is currently being piloted with the view to roll out across the country from the autumn. This agile programme provides a bite-sized, flexible offer to stimulate innovation in SME product/service development and market expansion. It provides a national framework for supporting innovation in SMEs.

It is also important to set-out these plans in the context of the border regions. The demand for skills does not stop at the border and for this reason, I fully endorse the development of cross-border projects in conjunction with the Regional Colleges in Northern Ireland. This measure will not just address skills provisions, but also ensure compatible education and training provisions in all regions. I believe that the new PEACE PLUS programme will provide further opportunity for these collaborations to flourish.