Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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2145. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he sought or obtained any additional supports for financial literacy and financial education in Budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59358/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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SOLAS feeds into my Department’s estimates process to the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, setting out the projected FET and apprenticeship funding requirements for the following year.

As part of this year’s estimates process, SOLAS did not make any specific requests for additional funding for financial literacy for Budget 2026.

SOLAS advised that its partnership with Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) provided financial literacy supports to marginalised groups across the country. €190,000 was distributed through the Collaboration and Innovation fund to organisations across the country who developed courses/projects to address financial literacy needs of identified target groups.

In addition, €60,000 was provided to update Making Cents - NALA’s Managing personal finances information guide and workbook. Making Cents is a resource and a support for literacy tutors to enhance literacy skills and increase awareness of financial literacy.

SOLAS advised that CCPC are currently undertaking an evaluation of their financial literacy supports and this will inform any collaboration with SOLAS’ Adult Literacy for Life (ALL) office in 2026.