Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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26. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on disability supports and funding to cover the supports needed for people with disabilities in further education colleges. [26357/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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Thank you, Deputy, for this important question. I assure you that my Department is committed to improving the lives of people with disabilities in line with the Programme for Government. There are several specialist programmes within Further Education and Training, or FET, for learners with disabilities. Through Specialist Training Provision, ETBs contract providers, including the National Learning Networks, to offer training to learners who require more intensive support than is available in mainstream settings. In 2024, SOLAS allocated €41 million to Specialist Training Provision to support nearly 2,800 learners. €17 million of this provided training allowances to learners. In 2024, SOLAS provided €1.5 million to specialist agencies, such as Down Syndrome Ireland, for specific initiatives to support participation in FET.SOLAS, with Education and Training Boards Ireland and AHEAD, also support ETBs to make mainstream FET more accessible. Substantial work has been done to develop ETBs’ capacity to use Universal Design for Learning, a set of curriculum design principles that give learners equal access to education, and to make Reasonable Accommodations. The Fund for Students with Disabilities is a key fund that ensures learners with disabilities have the necessary support and equipment to participate in Post-Leaving Certificate courses. In 2025, over €5 million has been allocated to this Fund. This Fund has supported an estimated 1,700 learners in the current academic year.

More generally, Budget 2025 provides funding to progress a disability demonstration project to support the development of a model of supports for students with disabilities during their educational journey. The project will consider transitions from second level to third level, to both further and higher education. It will consider the range and level of supports for students with disabilities and how to provide opportunities for students to gain work experience and to transition to employment.

Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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27. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the up-to-date position on the provision of a new building for an education centre (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25649/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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I am committed to reaching a solution for an appropriate Youthreach facility to be leased in Macroom.

My Department issued permission to Cork Education and Training Board (ETB) to enter negotiations with Bus Éireann, the prospective landlord at the end of March.

A due diligence process must now be completed, which considers value for money, assessment of needs, climate targets and any procurement issues before a lease is sanctioned. Cork ETB was requested to provide monthly updates to SOLAS.

An application for a lease sanction is expected once clear cost estimates are in hand and building works are finalised. No definitive timeline for the submission of this application has been received from Cork ETB, but I understand that it may be submitted by the end of the summer.

I assure the Deputy that my Department, SOLAS and Cork ETB are very much engaged on this issue. They are working together to progress a facility that will create a suitable learning environment for all learners whilst adhering to the necessary requirements set in the relevant legislation and circulars.