Robert O'Donoghue (Dublin Fingal West, Labour)
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845. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for each year since 1 January 2020, the cost of operation of e-college; the number of Solas staff who work on e-college projects; the process for evaluating value; the completion rate and number of participants in each course; the cost per head of each course per completing student; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15486/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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My Department allocates funding to SOLAS from the Exchequer and the National Training Fund (NTF) to deliver Further Education and Training programmes and services, including eCollege.

SOLAS delivers eCollege, which is the national online learning service for FET. It provides a range of courses across digital, information and communication technology (ICT) and business domains. eCollege courses are free, online, part-time courses that are available on a continuous basis with no waiting lists and allow flexible times for completion.

SOLAS have a dedicated staff of 3.5 Full-time Equivalents (FTEs) who manage the delivery of eCollege. The provision is procured from learning providers through competitive procurement processes and includes learner support (administrative, technical, pedagogical), design & delivery of courses, and any certification or assessment costs, at no cost to the learner. Public sector procurement policy is followed ensuring value for money.

The cost of providing eCollege for the years 2020 – 2024 is as follows:

When determining budget allocation in line with national priorities and objectives of the further education and training strategy, eCollege is evaluated by reviewing outcomes, labour market relevance, accessibility and cost-effectiveness.  

Most courses operate on a continuous intake basis and learners may take more than one course at a time. Participation rates for the period 2020 to 2024 are as follows:

Cost per completing student:

Robert O'Donoghue (Dublin Fingal West, Labour)
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846. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will undertake one of the shorter e-college courses so that he might better understand the user experience of the platform; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15487/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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My officials have been in contact with the Deputy's parliamentary assistant seeking clarification and she will come back to us in the near future.