Donna McGettigan (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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1016. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he has visited a training centre (details supplied) since his appointment as Minister; if so, the purpose of the visit. [38797/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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While I have not had the opportunity to visit the Baldoyle Training Centre since my appointment as Minister, I am pleased to share that I have visited a number of Education and Training Boards (ETBs) across the country in recent months.

In March, I had the pleasure of officially opening the state-of-the-art Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre of Excellence (AMTCE) at Louth and Meath ETB. In June, with Government colleagues, I officially launched the Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) Action Plan and broke ground on the National Demonstration Park for MMC in Laois and Offaly ETB. Other highlights included visits to Kildare and Wicklow ETB, Waterford and Wexford ETB, Galway and Roscommon ETB, and Limerick and Clare ETB.

My colleague, Minister Harkin, launched the All-Island Industry 4.0 Future Skills Report in June, with Minister for the Economy, Caoimhe Archibald, MLA at the AMTCE in Louth and Meath ETB. In June, she addressed the National Implementation Steering Community for the Community Education Framework in Kilkenny and took the opportunity to meet with the management team of Kilkenny and Carlow ETB. Over the past month, Minister Harkin has also conducted introductory visits to a wide range of ETBs, including Galway and Roscommon, Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan, Laois and Offaly, Kildare and Wicklow, Limerick and Clare, Tipperary, Dublin and Dún Laoghaire, Waterford and Wexford, and Louth and Meath. These visits were designed to underscore the vital role ETBs play in the further education and training sector.

Both Minister Harkin and I have found these engagements to be deeply informative and valuable. We remain committed to availing of further invitations and opportunities, subject to our availability.