Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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387. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 589 of 7 May and 2693 of 8 September 2025, if the total number of places for ICT and digital training on Springboard+ courses has decreased from 2,183 in 2024 to 1,471 in 2025; and the reason there have been decreases in the number of places on courses relating to cloud computing, cybersecurity, general/traditional ICT and software development. [49375/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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Springboard+ is operated by the Higher Education Authority on the basis of a multi-annual call process and funding cycle. The previous cycle covered the period 2022-2024, with a new call for Proposals held in early 2025.

ICT courses are a key component of the Springboard+ offering. ICT courses make up approximately one-fifth of the places funded under Springboard+ 2025, which is a higher proportion than any other skills area.

However, while continuing to emphasise the key strategic importance of ICT and digital skills courses, the 2025 call placed a different emphasis on the type and duration of courses to be funded. In the consultation process with stakeholders prior to the launch of the Springboard+ 2025 call, the advice from the Regional Skills Fora managers was that certain ICT courses, such as data analytics, were not in as high demand as in previous years and that this should be considered in the ICT-related courses recommended for funding. A broader mix of ICT skills areas would be required to meet the needs of industry, both regionally and nationally.

In addition, two-year ICT skills conversion courses were not included in the 2025 Call. HEA analysis of previous years’ completion rates highlighted that these courses were not popular with applicants in the first instance when compared to other skills areas or shorter one-year full-time and part-time courses. The completion rates were also lower for those who did participate, when compared to other skills areas. Given available funding, along with the introduction of funding for microcredentials, these courses were not included in the call.

Furthermore, in submitting applications for funding under Springboard+, higher education providers are asked to rank their proposals. As this is a strategic decision for each provider to make given their regional priorities, ICT courses were not always ranked highest. Given available funding, including the fact that on average ICT courses are 9% more expensive to operate than during the previous call in 2022, in some cases ICT courses were not funded as a result of a low ranking by a higher education provider.