Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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342. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of courses that have been cancelled by Solas in 2024 to date that were offered in 2023; how many in total were offered in 2023 and 2024 respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42130/24]

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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My officials are making enquiries on your behalf and a response will issue shortly to the Deputy.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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343. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills how many adult education tutors were employed in 2023 and 2024 respectively; the amount spent on teaching hours in ETBs in 2023 and 2024; if there has been a reduction in the number of funded hours for adult education and a reduction in the number of courses offered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42131/24]

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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My Department does not hold this level of information requested by the Deputy. Further, my Department does not collect data on the numbers of tutors in the public sector returns for staffing numbers as these are hourly paid positions which are not pensionable. However, from work over recent years to prepare for the creation of a new Adult Educator grade and pay scale, my officials identified that there are approximately 2,800 tutors employed by the 16 ETBs. Going forward, the new Adult Educator grade will be included in the public sector returns.

As the Deputy may be aware, my Department has significantly increased its investment in the Further Education and Training sector, from circa €909 million in 2020 to €1,055 million in 2024. SOLAS allocates most of this funding to the 16 ETBs to deliver FET programmes. As independent statutory bodies, the allocation and management of this funding to different FET programmes within each ETB, and the timetabling of courses and tutor hours, is a matter for the ETB in light of needs for provision and available budgets. In my role as Minister, I have no function in relation to these important operational matters.

The reprioritisation of significant funding within the overall FET allocation this year to increase apprenticeship training capacity has created pressure to the sector with some ETBs deferring and rescheduling courses in light of their overall budgetary position.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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344. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there has been reduction in funding from Solas to ETBs; if less funding from the NTF is being provided to fund courses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42132/24]

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has significantly increased its investment in further education and training (FET) in recent years, from about €909 million in 2020 to more than €1.055 billion in 2024, excluding capital expenditure. The 2024 allocation to SOLAS comprises €524.19m from the Exchequer (including approx. €19 million of temporary funding) and €531.27 million from the National Training Fund (including approx. €11 million of temporary funding).

The Deputy might be interested to note that the 2023 allocation to SOLAS was €1.022 billion (excluding capital expenditure) of which approx. €507 million was allocated from the Fund. Of this allocation, circa €37 million was temporary funding for apprenticeship. In Budget 2024, my Department secured the conversion of approx. €30 million of this temporary funding into the base for apprenticeships. As the Deputy will appreciate, there has been no reduction in the allocation to SOLAS from the National Training Fund.

I am aware that the Education and Training Boards have been responding to funding pressures in 2024 largely arising from the need to prioritise capacity in craft apprenticeship as well as reflecting the demand-led nature of FET provision. In doing so the objective has been to minimise disruption to learners as much as that is possible.