William Aird (Laois, Fine Gael)
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1056. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the plans in place for 2026 to enhance regional access to further education and training through ETBs; the investment being made in new campuses, digital learning infrastructure and community-based provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22132/26]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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As part of the National Development Plan (NDP) 2025 review, I secured a capital allocation for my Department of over €4.5 billion over the 2026 to 2030 period. Building on this NDP envelope, my Department developed and published a Sectoral Plan for the tertiary sector in December 2025 for the period 2026 – 2030, aligned with the Departments capital ceiling and the objectives of the NDP. This plan provides the framework for capital investment across the higher and further education and research sectors, including the identification of priority projects already in the pipeline as well as new initiatives commencing from 2026.

My Department has a capital envelope of €810m in 2026 for allocation across the three sectors. Of this total amount, €107m has been allocated for further education capital infrastructure investment in 2026. (This incorporates €37m provided through the National Training Fund (NTF) Surplus Package, announced in Budget 2025).

This investment will enable new and upgraded facilities, modernised campuses, and additional capacity to meet growing regional and national demand. Specific FET programmes being supported by this investment include, the FET College Major Capital Programme and Apprenticeships funding.

In addition, the Minor Capital Works Grant allows for improvement and refurbishment works for FET facilities. Strategically, the programme helps to ensure the FET estate across all the regions, is fit for purpose and can provide the training and skills needed for the current and future labour market needs, addressing national skills shortages, leading to increased productivity and competitiveness in the wider economy. A prime example of both digital learning and community-based provision is the Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre of Excellence (AMTCE) in Dundalk, which is a leading provider of advanced manufacturing training. It develops and delivers high quality training for the manufacturing sector, both regionally and nationally and enables people to reskill or upskill in industry 4.0 technologies and to support learners to develop new careers in advanced manufacturing through apprenticeships and traineeships.

Through the Strategic Infrastructure Upgrade Programme (SIUP) my Department is investing in the upgrade of existing FET infrastructure to provide a high-quality teaching and learning environment. One of the first projects delivered under the SIUP programme is the Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) Hub in Galway. This new facility aims to build capacity for digital and blended learning, offering flexible spaces for both independent and collective learning. The TEL Hub supports the digitisation of FET resources, provides specialist training facilities, and aids the delivery of regionally based Further Education and Training programmes.