Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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744. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the focus of Springboard in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53517/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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Springboard+, established in 2011, continues to play a vital role in expanding access to higher education by offering flexible, work-focused learning opportunities to adult learners across the country. It continues to play a role in increasing the rate of engagement in lifelong learning, reskilling those whose occupation may be at risk from technological advancement and the development of the workforce.

Aligned with national skills priorities, Springboard+ supports individuals to upskill or reskill in high-demand areas such as ICT, construction, cybersecurity, and green skills. The programme is free or heavily subsidised and offered in flexible formats including part-time, blended, and online, making higher education more accessible to all.

A consultation process with stakeholders took place in advance of the Springboard+ 2025 call. As the programme had been in a multiannual funding cycle there had not been a call since 2022 so it was timely to review the types of programmes being funded to ensure that Springboard+ remains responsive to the needs of industry and people across the economy who wish to upskill or reskill. This consultation revealed that courses across a broader mix of skills areas would be required to meet the needs of industry both regionally and nationally.

New skills areas were prioritised where current and future skills needs have been identified.

Courses in renewable offshore wind energy have been funded under this call as this was identified as a critical skill area. Other courses available are in areas such as Infrastructure Planning; Sustainable Building; Digital Skills, Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence.

Micro-credential courses were included for the first time in the 2025 call, with 26 courses funded. This gives people an opportunity to gain new skills in a shorter timeframe, usually around 12 weeks. The ‘stackability’ component of these courses makes them attractive to learners who may wish to build towards further qualifications.

As demand grows for a skilled and adaptable workforce, Springboard+ will continue to be an important driver of increased participation in higher education.

Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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745. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to report on the availability of courses in Springboard in expanding areas, such as AI and renewable energy technologies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53518/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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Springboard+ 2025 was launched in May and is providing almost 8,000 places on 249 courses, including part-time Micro-credentials and full-time ICT Skills Conversion courses. Information and Communication Technologies continues to be a critical skills area for the programme with over 1,450 places on 50 courses funded for the 2025/26 academic year. Of these 395 places are on courses in Artificial Intelligence which are offered across 12 higher education providers, please see the link below for further information. 93% of these courses are offered in a blended or online format, making them accessible to learners across the country. There has been very strong demand for places across Springboard+ 2025, with applications for ICT courses particularly high. It is anticipated that these courses will continue to provide the skilled graduates in the ICT areas required for a rapidly evolving labour market in the Republic of Ireland.

In addition, courses in renewable offshore wind energy were particularly welcomed under the Springboard+ 2025 call, and nine courses, offering 219 places, were funded in the renewable energy area, which will contribute to skills in this growing industry.

My Department remains committed to ensuring that Springboard+ continues to align with national skills needs and to supporting learners in assessing opportunities in key sectors such as Artificial Intelligence and renewable energy technologies.

">AI and Renewable energy courses

Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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746. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he is satisfied that current communication methods are adequate to ensure employees are aware of the courses available to upskill or for continuous professional development given the increasing volatility of the workplace; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53519/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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In order to address the increasing challenge of unpredictable shifts in the workplace, I want to ensure that opportunities and pathways are visible and flexible and align with the needs of enterprise.

My Department works with our stakeholders through key partnership platforms, the National Skills Council, and Regional Skills Fora, to embed lifelong learning and shape a system that enables career transitions, supports enterprise, and builds the human capital Ireland needs to thrive.

Providers including the Higher Education Institutions, Education and Training Boards, and Skillnet Ireland work closely with enterprise to ensure that this is the case. Offerings such as Springboard+, Microcredentials and Microqualifications, and Skills to Advance all have this aim.

My department will continue to work in partnership with all stakeholders in the skills ecosystem to shape a more agile, inclusive and resilient approach to skills development.