Grant Payments
6. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of applicants from Mayo who had their SUSI application refused in the 2024 academic year. [25803/25]
11. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of SUSI applicants from Mayo who had their SUSI revoked in the middle of the academic year. [25802/25]
33. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of applicants from Mayo who had their SUSI application approved in the 2024 academic year. [25804/25]
I thank the Minister and Minister of State for attending to discuss these important matters. The questions concern SUSI applications for County Mayo, in particular the number and the percentage of the refusal rate, the revoked applications and the successful applications, and how this compares with the national situation.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 6, 11 and 33 together.
As the House will be aware, the main support available to assist students with the cost of attending higher education is the student grant scheme. Under the scheme, grant assistance is awarded to eligible students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means. In other words, there is a set of rules around the scheme, those rules govern the eligibility for it and, in turn, the students progress. That continues to be applied.
There is also a part-time scheme for specified undergraduate courses that is now available. It commenced for the first time in September 2024 and I recently expanded it to more courses. It provides fee support to eligible part-time students attending specified publicly funded undergraduate courses leading to a major award. This includes specified in-person courses and blended or hybrid courses, and its aim is to provide additional flexibility in respect of course provision to students who may be socioeconomically disadvantaged. Many students find the part-time option far more possible because they are able to continue to work and look after other commitments. The part-time course is a very attractive option for many people for that reason and it is only right that it should be supported through this fees scheme. That was not previously the case but it is now. As I said, I have recently expanded the provision and I will continue to examine the scheme because there may be other courses that fall outside it. I intend to continue to review it to see whether we can expand it to the maximum possible number of students.
I turn now to the specific questions on the Mayo cohort. As of 15 May 2025, for the academic year 2024-25, some 2,655 applicants from Mayo were awarded a grant by SUSI for either a full-time or part-time course; 415 applicants from Mayo were refused a grant by SUSI for either a full-time or part-time course; and 58 applicants from Mayo had their grant revoked for either a full-time or part-time course. Those are the figures as of 15 May, a couple of days ago, and they may change as we come to the end of the academic year because, over the course of an academic year, there can be changes with individual students for different reasons. I do not expect that they will be consequential in terms of the numbers but there may be updates before the end of the academic year.
It is fair to say that the vast majority of students who applied did receive funding. A small number were refused because they were ineligible and were not able to progress their applications, and a much smaller number again, 58, had those grants revoked. I hope that is of interest and assistance to the Deputy. Those are the figures for County Mayo.
I would like to raise some concerns, in particular regarding the revoked applications. In some instances, the money is never actually seen by the applicant and is directly linked to the university. I am aware of one case where the university failed to notify SUSI that the student had left the course and, as a result, the student was penalised the following year – essentially, the student was abandoned in that situation. Of course, we need to have a rules-based system and that is very important. However, this is particularly relevant in the post-Covid landscape, given students lost so much time in their second level education, and that window of opportunity was lost. As a result, students who may not have had the opportunity for career guidance during this time have pursued courses that perhaps they would not have pursued in the normal circumstance of having had career guidance. As a result of choosing a course, they find themselves potentially changing course or changing pathway, and they are penalised for doing so. In many ways, we should be encouraging people to pursue their dreams. Changing a course is not in itself a problem and, in fact, it should sometimes be encouraged. I know people who get to second or third year in college, realise that this career path is not for them and find themselves in a situation where they continue along the pathway because of the financial penalties they would incur if they were to change. That needs to be looked at. Of course, we need a rules-based system, but we need flexibility and perhaps an extension of the timeframe that SUSI currently stipulates.
Another point concerns the distance from college in the context of the adjacent or non-adjacent grant rate. I am aware of one case where SUSI failed an applicant for being 29.65 km away from ATU in Castlebar when Google Maps suggests the person is 31 km away. It is very unfortunate. The system should recognise this, particularly in light of how expensive it is to run a car and the fact that public transport in many parts of Mayo is not a viable option for students. Apart from the cost of running a car, the Government is increasing carbon tax and the cost of insurance is rising.
This should be recognised.
There were a couple of options raised and I will try to come back to the Deputy on each of them.
Career guidance and counselling is something I tend to very much support and I am keen to increase the provision of it. As we know, it is extremely difficult for students, typically at a young age, to make choices that may have implications for their entire life journey after that. There is a bit of a pressure point around how to make that decision at the right time very quickly. However, I intend to support that area in terms of further support for career guidance and for counselling for the burgeoning schools.
Yesterday, the Minister of State, Deputy Harkin, and I attended the Mount Lucas national construction skills hub. We saw the launching of a new platform, Skillnet MMC Accelerate, which is a website that allows those with an interest in construction careers to consider a breathtaking range of options and follow through on that interest by clicking through different courses, different study options and different apprenticeships to see how they might play out. I credit the organisers and those involved in that platform. I would like to see those type of platforms applied to many other sectors across the board. This is an example of what can be done and what is being done already.
The Deputy spoke about students who may take on a course and find halfway through that it is not the right course for them. In the programme for Government, we have committed to examining second-chance applications. As with all these things, there is a balance because unlimited funding for continuing to change courses might be desirable from a societal point of view but economically unsustainable. There has to be some tipping point. I have some sympathy in this regard because I changed course. I studied maths originally, but I ended up studying law. I did it part-time, by night, while I was working in town. I came across to lectures every evening after work. Therefore, I have sympathy for people who end up pursuing second careers and different course options. It is a good thing to do. The day of the job for life is gone and people now end up pursuing many different paths through life and, indeed, change and retrain. Reskilling, upskilling and lifelong learning is a core objective of my Department to support. We are keen to continue to allow people have those opportunities at any stage in life to find their new path forward.
In terms of the individual cases, the Deputy mentioned two that I noted. The first was around a student who left - maybe dropped out - halfway through the year. Then he mentioned what sounds like a very unfortunate individual who checked Google Maps and found that the other calculations did not seem to accord. If the Deputy wants to bring those cases to my attention after the session or if he wants to write to me on them - I will not get into individual cases on the floor of the House and I do not have the details - I would be quite happy to look into them and see if we can progress anything in the background.
I welcome the Minister's assistance on those cases. As the Minister quite rightly pointed out, people who make second-chance applications and move courses should be supported in a bigger way than is currently the case. The extension of the timeline should be looked at and the acceleration of more online courses, which will reduce the cost to the person, would be of assistance as well.
I also want to raise another case. A constituent of mine, who has two students in college, received a very modest gift as a result of losing their parent. It was a grandparent of the third level students. This was a very small will that was left. The parents used the gift, which was very modest, to part-pay off the mortgage on their property. This family was no better off in terms of their income and day-to-day spending and yet, because of this will, their children were completely struck off from a SUSI grant. The family had to take one of their children out of college. As the inheritance was so small, they will be less well-off than if they never got it in the first place. I know we need a rules-based system but we should look at the anomaly that arises when a modest inheritance is used, as in this case, to pay off the mortgage. This family was no better off. In fact, they are actually less well-off in terms of that. It needs to be looked at. I would greatly appreciate it if the Minister could consider this in his role in the months ahead.
I have listened to what the Deputy has said and I have taken note. He might want to follow up with me on that case as well. The first thing I would say, before I and my Department get involved, is that the student should consider appealing if they have not done so already. Indeed, I would advise any student who feels they have been wrongly denied a grant, or not had their correct level of grant funding applied, to access the appeals mechanism. I would refer any student who is dissatisfied to the relevant website, studentgrantappeals.ie, because there is a whole framework in place there. There is a 30-day window for such cases. I am not sure how far on this particular case is, but it might be of interest to the House in general to be aware of that facility. There is also a support webline, support@susi.ie. They have a phone number which can be accessed as well. There are a number of different ways in which SUSI will respond to individual cases. It may be appropriate for the Deputy's constituent who wishes to make a case with regard to mileage to consider an appeal as well. It is up to the individual student and family, but that is something could be looked at.
In terms of the inheritance, the Deputy stated that the amount was modest. I do not know what the figure is - we can look into it in due course - but there are several different disregards in the system, such as holiday income, bursaries and grants from other sources. A number of different disregards are included. It is quite a complex system in terms of how the grants are considered, whether a student is eligible, what other income is there and what other payments they may be in receipt of. I do not know whether the particular case the Deputy mentions would satisfy one of those disregards. It may do; it may not. Certainly, it would with luck. However, every effort is made to ensure that when a student receives financial support towards their educational journey from other sources with the intention of helping them to achieve an educational goal, it is not punitive in terms of their subsequent support. We would not want to have one robbing Peter to pay Paul; they should be combined.
If the Deputy wants to advise his constituent in the first instance to consider appealing if they have not already, he should look at the details of it. Then if the Deputy wants to engage with me on that particular case as well, I would be happy to look into it.
We will move on to Question No. 8.
Question No. 7 taken with Written Answers.
Third Level Education
8. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will consider expanding third level course places related to therapies in the disability sector, as part of workforce planning; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26303/25]
I am asking for an update on the expansion of third level course places for therapies in the disability sector and the Minister's role in the workforce planning of therapists needed in children's disability network teams, CDNTs, primary care teams and schools. There has been much focus this week on assessments of need. The programme for Government and the report of the Joint Committee on Autism are clear in their recommendations.
On the disability framework and the challenge posed, this Government wants to support people with disabilities in the fullest possible way to allow them to live the most meaningful and impactful lives as possible, and with as much support from the State as possible. This fundamental goal is writ large in the programme for Government and the entire Government is committed to delivering on it. Indeed, the Taoiseach has convened a Cabinet subcommittee, which is meeting regularly and of which I am a member, to address this societal and State goal. I put on record my commitment, as have all my colleagues in government, to the supporting this important issue.
My officials and I are working closely with other Departments to support workforce planning responses by creating additional places in areas of acute skills need, ensuring a pipeline of qualified graduates for our health and social care workforce.
More generally, my Department has a skills matrix and looks to the future to assess what skills are needed at particular times for different economic and societal goals and challenges. We have that skills framework and skills planning ongoing anyway, but we certainly have a renewed focus on the health and social care workforce at present. That work has been ongoing. A recent joint memorandum committed both Departments - the Department of Health and my Department - to funding the expansion of key healthcare disciplines, including therapies.
Last week I announced a new pharmacy course in the University of Galway, which will start this September. There is a new dentistry programme in the Royal College of Surgeons that is also available for this September. Further expansion across medicine, pharmacy and veterinary will come on stream in 2026. We are expanding the number of professional healthcare courses that are out there, and across the country as well. That builds on existing progress, with nearly 1,000 additional places created in health and social care programmes in recent years.
Further additional places were provided for this September. These include 15 additional places on the speech and language therapy BSc programme at the University of Galway, 40 additional places for occupational therapy at the same university and 15 additional paediatric medicine places through the Galway BSc programme. I have to acknowledge that Galway is playing its part. There are also ten additional physiotherapy places at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. It is a work in progress. We continue to examine ways to increase the throughput and output of therapists of all types in the system.
While there are issues with how our public services are designed, the greatest barrier disabled people face in accessing appropriate services is resourcing and understaffing across assessment of needs, therapeutic and clinical services, medical services and education services, all of which are necessary if our disabled community are to lead full lives with the experiences and opportunities they deserve. We need a pipeline of therapists for the future based on shared projections across health, disability and education. The programme for Government commits to doubling the number of college places in this area and delivering a workforce plan to meet both immediate and long-term needs. What engagement is taking place with the Department of Health to increase the number of places across OT, SLT, physio, psychology, social work and nursing to ensure these numbers match the numbers of clinical placements? Is engagement taking place with the Department of disability to ensure the number of clinical placements will meet current and future needs? What consultation is there with professional bodies about a long-term workforce planning strategy?
I mentioned some of the places we have provided and we intend to provide further places in these areas. There are also agreements regarding healthcare provision with Ulster University and Queen's University Belfast resulting in a further 389 places over the last two years. I visited Queen's University Belfast over the Easter break and met the president, Ian Greer. I also met some of the students from the Republic who are attending courses there. I am told they are excelling in their fields. They were certainly great ambassadors for the scheme. That provision from the Northern universities is welcome.
We are also engaging with stakeholders across the sector to determine the number of additional places for 2025. We have provided multiple additional places already - numbering 1,000 last year - but I want to keep on providing further options. I recently asked the HEA to run an expressions of interest programme. The Higher Education Authority put out a call to the universities to see which universities were placed to offer further provision, increasing the output of therapists across all of the different healthcare disciplines. That is going extremely well. We have had very positive responses to it. I intend to update the Cabinet subcommittee on that. I may return to that in my next supplementary response.
I acknowledge the additional places and the work of the Tánaiste and of the former Minister in the Department, Deputy O'Donovan, in this area. However, I am really talking about long-term workforce planning and how it needs to be linked with collaboration and shared data. For instance, the Disability Capacity Review to 2032, published by the HSE, states that 3.5% of the child population require special input from CDNTs. The Joint Committee on Autism's report speaks about the overall need to tackle unmet need. The Department of Education is using figures such as 5%. Does the Minister agree that collaboration across these Departments is essential? Are we using levers used in other models to incentivise people to take up places in this area? I refer to Springboard and the model we use for clinical psychologists, who get 60% of their studies funded and get paid for their placements. Other countries provide forgiveness on student loans.
My question, Question No. 17, is remarkably similar to Deputy Currie's. I was somewhat surprised that they were not grouped together. The Minister has already answered my question, which was to ask the number of additional places in the area of life sciences provided for next year. I am delighted with the Minister's response and that the number of places in a number of these areas has increased in the school of life sciences at my own local institution, the National University of Ireland, Galway. Like Deputy Currie, I encourage the Minister to look at the many ways in which we can ensure we are producing more occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, psychologists and physiotherapists, particularly given what we have heard about the need in this area throughout the week.
Is the Deputy happy enough that his question has now been dealt with?
I am.
I thank Deputy Connolly for his support in my visit to Galway last week. He is a great advocate for the college and works closely with the team. I believe he is a former student. That was a very good engagement.
I agree with both Deputies on the real need to examine all options and all levers at our disposal to increase the number of disability workers. These include Springboard. I believe it could include apprenticeships and I have asked my further education teams to look at options to address this demand within that system along with more traditional higher education provision. A great deal of work is being done. Just this week, my officials had another official-level group engagement with different Departments. Deputy Currie asked what engagement is happening with other Departments. I have met the Minister for Health on the matter and we have had bilateral meetings on it. I have also met with the Minister for disability, Deputy Foley, and others. We have a Cabinet subcommittee that meets very regularly to progress the matter. It is an all-of-government priority. It is essential. As Deputy Currie has mentioned, placements are a challenge. My Department and my team can provide the courses and the education but the HSE and the different workplace settings need to offer placements to match. One cannot work without the other. That is an ongoing challenge.
Grant Payments
9. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he plans to further increase the SUSI grant application threshold in budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26323/25]
I thank the Deputy for the question. I am committed to increasing the supports available to students and to addressing the costs of education for students and their families progressively over this year and the coming years for as long as I am privileged to serve in this office.
It is important to say that all proposals made regarding education expenditure, including student grants, thresholds, limits, awards and so on, are considered annually in the context of the budget. It is in October that these discussions will take place for real. They are already under way and well advanced but that is the time at which decisions will ultimately be made and communicated.
I have already been engaged very intensively on this and I intend to publish an options paper in the near future that will identify the costs and potential impacts of various policy options. There are multiple different levers within the grants system. There are thresholds, monetary amounts and different types of support that can be made available. There are also different types of grants, including fee grants and maintenance grants, and, as Deputy Paul Lawless mentioned earlier, there are also adjacent and non-adjacent rates. There are a number of moving parts and I have tasked my team with coming up with a matrix of all of those parts so that we can see the impact of moving one lever on another lever. Ultimately, we do not want one cohort of students to be deprived of services and support because we have changed something to benefit another cohort. We need to make sure the approach is consistent, coherent, fair and progressive.
The paper I intend to publish will be based on engagement with the sector and with stakeholders. I held an event in Croke Park earlier this year at which I met with multiple different stakeholders from the educational sphere. I met access officers, student's union representatives, people taking up various different courses, people from disadvantaged sectors and spokespersons for people who traditionally have struggled to attain the education they wished to attain. All of those voices will be heard in the discussion.
On the Deputy's specific question regarding the threshold, the special rate of maintenance threshold will increase from €26,200 to €27,400 this September. All other maintenance and student contribution grant thresholds will increase by 15% so there is already quite a significant increase coming this September. The postgraduate fee threshold will also increase to match the new 100% student contribution threshold, which will now be €64,315. That means a household with a net income of up to €115,000 will still benefit from grant support.
I thank the Minister for his reply. As someone who grew up just after third level education was made free, I benefited, as did many of my peers and our parents and families. That opened up third level education, which might not have been a possibility before. We have seen those benefits. Obviously, that has evolved and changed over the last number of years. It is incumbent on this Government to reduce the cost of third level education. There are various ways in which that policy might be achieved. Some might be of the view that there should be free third level education. There are also other ways, such as through grants. That seems to be the route the Department is going down. If we can increase the rates and the thresholds, it will improve the opportunities for different families. Like the Minister, I know that many people in north Kildare attend Maynooth University. It is really important. With all of the economic difficulties we face, education is at the core of what we do and how we can grow the country in the future.
I know the Deputy's commitment to North Kildare and to our shared constituency. I agree that education is absolutely a core part of that. Education, talent, skills and investment in people is the core of our success economically as well. That is why we, as a nation, have achieved everything we have. It is because of our investment in education from the early days of the State. It is something I continue to commit to and continue to advance.
As I mentioned, the threshold now for some level of support is up to €115,000 for a household. That is significant progress. It is the largest increase since the creation of SUSI and it underlines the commitment to inclusion. This will ensure students in need of financial assistance are not disadvantaged with the rise in incomes. That is significant and will kick in from September.
There are other supports. There is the new part-time scheme for part-time students that was not previously available. This is now in place and I extended it to other courses recently. I am examining many other levers as well to ensure no student is priced out of education and no student is unable to access education because of financial barriers. The vast majority of students who need support should be getting it and if they are not, I want to hear about it, and change the system so they can get assistance.
I thank the Minister for his feedback and his commitment. The two of us have benefitted from the amazing education system we have had in this country. We have both utilised it to the best possible degree in various forms. What we want, and the opportunity we have here, is to ensure that all the young people growing up in this new and growing constituency can access it, and I see Deputy Ó Cearúil is here. Obviously, there is a multitude of other issues around accessing education, maybe transport and housing and places to stay, but often the initial core barrier can be cost. The focus of this Government needs to be on ensuring that everyone has access to education. Third level education is key to driving possibilities. We can talk about AI all we want, and we can talk about all those things, but if we do not have the people in the system to make the best of it, our economy will not grow and develop in the way it should and our people will not develop the way they should.
I totally agree. I will raise some of the progress we have made in recent years and which is continuing again this year, from this September. On the cost of education, the threshold is one part of it, and an important one. The SUSI grant system is one part also. There are other factors such as student accommodation, which I am working on. I hope to publish a strategy on student accommodation this summer. This will address student accommodation in a consistent way with a uniform template, or a set of templates, available for student accommodation builds. That has not been there in the past or it has been somewhat ad hoc. It is something I have asked the Department to focus on and produce that template, which will then assist with further student accommodation being made available.
The Deputy referred to the cost of transport and travel for students who are commuting, often because student accommodation may not be available to them. On those costs, we have the student Leap card and fare discounts have continued this year. They were part of the budget negotiations by me last year in my previous role. That is very important for students.
There are other issues such as materials, the cost of laptops, books and so on. There are other types of support, whether it is support through fee subsidies, maintenance grants, support for accommodation or the provision of those services directly. It is multifaceted but I am certainly very aware of those challenges.
Further and Higher Education
10. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will outline the capital projects in the further education sector that will be progressed in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26306/25]
I very much welcome the emphasis placed on the development of the further education sector since the previous Government took office in June 2020. I spoke to the Minister's predecessors on many occasions about the opportunities that exist to develop the further education sector on an all-island basis, and particularly that there be a substantial capital programme. One of the projects of particular interest to me is the proposed development of a state-of-the-art campus in Cavan to provide additional permanent accommodation at Cavan Institute. I would be grateful if the Minister would give me an outline of the progress he expects to make with his capital funding this year.
I thank the Deputy for his continuing interest in the Cavan project as well as others. More generally, on the Department's capital ceiling over the last period there is a dedicated capital envelope, which the Deputy referred to, that amounted to €300 million for the further education and training sector, FET. Available funding has increased again from a low base of €6 million in 2018 to €107 million in the current year. That is a very significant multiplier of the available funding for the FET colleges and the FET system.
Funding for the FET capital projects is distributed through SOLAS under a number of different funding streams. There are 70 small- to medium-scale projects being progressed at the moment. This includes everything from minor capital works, emergency health and safety works and the strategic infrastructure upgrade fund, as well as devolved funding directly from my Department for minor capital works.
I am aware the Cavan-Monaghan project is of interest to the Deputy. The proposal there is to build centralised accommodation on land owned and currently occupied by the Cavan Institute on Cathedral Road in the town. That building will have modern learning spaces, specialised areas, and social and recreation spaces, surrounded by open spaces to create a vibrant campus community. It will have a complete range of supports, including guidance counselling. We heard earlier how important counselling is to make sure students make the right choices at the right times. The campus will also include quiet spaces and informal learning spaces. The project received approval in October 2024, it passed through approval gate No. 1, AG-1, of the infrastructure guidelines and is progressing to the next stage, which is pre-tender, project design, planning, and procurement strategy stage. SOLAS is currently working with the Cavan-Monaghan ETB to progress this through the next stage.
As the Deputy has flagged this as an area of interest, I will certainly keep a close eye on it and will update him as it progresses along. It is going well. It is past the first stage and is now at the next stage, which is the pre-tender stage. SOLAS, the Department and I are working to progress it. We will certainly make sure it moves quickly along.
I very warmly welcome the Minister's confirmation that progress is being made with this very important project for our constituency, as the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach, Deputy David Maxwell, will know. I hope the Minister will be in a position to visit Cavan Institute at an early date, and to visit Monaghan Institute. Cavan Institute been a very successful institute since its establishment. I was very much involved with the Cavan Institute in its early days. I was the first chair of the board of management of the college. I was also very much involved in getting the original building on Cathedral Road, which is no longer adequate due to increased enrolments over the years. Cavan Institute was the first dedicated post-leaving certificate college in the country. It has developed collaborations with colleges north of the Border too, which is very important.
As the Minister outlined in his reply, the institute needs additional permanent accommodation. I am very glad that there will be such a range of classroom and other ancillary accommodation, plus sports facilities. I hope SOLAS will be able to drive this capital programme forward as urgently as possible. I am delighted the Minister has secured from the Department of public expenditure additional funding to bolster the capital budget. I know the work of the Cavan-Monaghan ETB, which the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach will know also, and this funding would be put to very good use.
I absolutely know it will be put to very good use. It is a fantastic and very exciting project and it is great to hear the history of that building, and indeed of the project and further education in the Cavan-Monaghan area. I thank the Deputy for the invitation to visit. I will certainly put that in my diary and will get there in due course. I would like to see it for myself. You cannot beat seeing it for real and meeting the teams on the ground to understand how projects are coming on. I thank the Deputy for his interest. He was involved in the original site. I will certainly keep a close eye on that and will get to it in due course.
I thank the Minister. It is very important that we record the importance of the further education sector. It was originally established to respond to the needs of the local community and the local economy. It has been an extremely important gateway for students and pathway to higher education. It has given so many people, who traditionally would not have had the opportunity, the opportunity to get an education beyond post primary. It has been extremely important in ensuring that more people, who may have come from homes where there was not a particularly heavy emphasis on education, see that pathway to forward their education to successful careers. I very much welcome the emphasis the previous Government and this one have placed on this sector. I have no doubt the Minister and the Minister of State, Deputy Harkin, will lead the sector very well. I again emphasise that the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach and I represent two Border counties. We are always very conscious of our neighbours in Fermanagh, Tyrone and Armagh and the potential there for further and more intense collaboration on a cross-Border basis.
I agree with the Deputy and I thank him for those points on access to the system for those who maybe would not have had that given they were coming from backgrounds where traditionally education or higher education was not a feature. The further education sector has been so progressive and has led so much in making education accessible to so many more families in a community setting and closer to home. It has made it easier to access education, despite economic reasons, family reasons or caring reasons, and has provided a welcome to, and has embraced, people.
There is a very exciting new development relating to tertiary degrees, of which the Deputy is probably aware. I recently met many tertiary degree students from around the country at an event in Grangegorman. The option is there for students to start their training or educational journey in a college of further education in a local area closer to home, which makes it easier on many fronts. After one or two years in a college of further education they can then progress a to a more traditional higher education institution and go on to degree-level accreditation. That is a wonderful journey.
There are many more opportunities. The Minister of State, Deputy Harkin, and I visited the National Construction Training Centre in Mount Lucas, County Offaly, yesterday. The careers that are opening up in construction are huge. Very exciting new journeys are opening there as well.
Question No. 11 taken with Question No. 6.
Research and Development
12. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the way in which he plans to modernise basic research equipment in universities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26166/25]
Deputy Ó Cearúil is taking Question No. 12 on behalf of Deputy Byrne.
I congratulate the Minister on his elevation to Cabinet. As a constituency colleague, it is great to see him in that brief. He has hit the ground running, and I have no doubt that the rest of his term will be a success. I wish him well.
We know from the IUA that half of the equipment in third level institutions is more than ten years old and that a third is more than 15 years old. How does the Minister plan to modernise basic research equipment in universities?
I thank the Deputy for his question and his kind words. I look forward to working with him to deliver for Kildare North and the country as we work together in this House and elsewhere. I know he is spokesperson for a related area as well. I want to acknowledge that and support him in his work.
The plan to modernise research equipment is a topic close to my heart. It is something that I immediately addressed when I came into this role. I tasked a team within the Department and established a working group comprising academics, people from the industry with experience in the sector, and my own officials to consider how we might embark on a renewal exercise for fundamental research equipment across the sector. That is well under way. It is critical that we have that equipment available because that is the building block on which our experiments and research journeys take place. It is critical for training students as well. In addition to research equipment, it is also teaching equipment. Students need to be able to access the best in class in that form. The working group is making good progress.
I addressed an Irish Universities Association event last week, where I reiterated my commitment to bringing a significant new funding stream to the sector to examine options as regards supporting the renewal and replacement of equipment and talent. One can have all the equipment in the world, but if there are no people to operate it, learn from it and use it, it is futile. I have, along the lines of the previous programme for research in third level institutions, PRTLI, a new undertaking that perhaps has not taken place for a decade prior to now. It was a very successful programme in the early part of the century. That is something on which I am engaging with the national development plan in terms of securing significant funding for it. The sector has warmly welcomed my indications in this regard. I am engaging with it intensively, and that progress is significant and substantial. I look forward to seeing the fruit of that when I bring it through the budgetary process later this year, all going well.
In March 2025, the IUA stated, "increased public investment in research is the best way to protect the Irish economy from external threats such as US tariffs," and what is happening in an international context. I welcome the Minister's commitment to not just funding third level institutions but also modernising those institutions.
As a follow-up question, when does the Minister envisage that funding will be available to third level institutions? I appreciate that this will be part of the national development plan. Will it be this year or further down the line?
I entirely agree with the Deputy regarding the economic headwinds he referred to in his supplementary question. Part of our competitive offering is that we have such a strong talent base, we invest in education and we invest in research and innovation.
Later today, I will travel to Brussels to attend a research council with European Council colleagues and ministers in related briefs across the European Union. We are very keen to support a successor programme in terms of Horizon funding. The Draghi report, which the Deputy will be familiar with, identified that research and innovation must be central to Europe's competitive advantage because it is a key part of our economic offering. It is the reason we have been so successful in attracting foreign direct investment, as well as in our own indigenous enterprises over many years. I intend to not just continue, but to double down and increase, widen and accelerate support for all of that activity.
The Deputy asked about timing. This is a significant programme. This is not a one-off grant; I intend this to be a significant body of work which will span my term of office over the coming five years. It is envisaged as a multi-annual programme. I will make my case on the national development plan. I will, perhaps, return to the issue in my supplementary answer.
I will give some time back to the Minister in order to allow him to finish his point. I acknowledge the President of Maynooth University, Eeva Leinonen, for her work there and as chair of the IUA. I am keen to hear from the Minister in terms of what his timeline is. I appreciate that any scheme like this cannot be just a once-off; it needs to be continuous because of the rate of change and development in all areas of research. I completely understand that it will take time. It is not just a case of being here once and it being done. It will take a number of years.
The Deputy mentioned the IUA paper published in March. I actually appointed the IUA to my working group and it is actually actively involved in it already. It is an excellent organisation and it is worthwhile to have it in the room for these discussions. The other thing I will say about the programme as I currently envisage it and through my work with the expert group is that it is intended to be a competitive funding call. It will not necessarily be a case of something for everybody but, rather, will be based upon excellence and submissions being made as part of a competitive process. An independent panel will assess applications. That is how the PRTLI was done before and it is how best-in-class funding applications in the research sector are done. It will not be automatic or immediate. Funding is the first step. The next step is the framework around the funds, such as what type of projects, equipment and research is being supported. I intend to cast a wide net because we should not be excluding any particular areas, although naturally there are Government strategic priorities.
The IDA strategy was published recently. Things such as digitalisation, healthcare resilience and climate change are all core to its goals. I would put the semiconductor strategy into that mix as well. It is important. Cabinet recently adopted the national semiconductor strategy. The Deputy will be as aware as I am of the importance of Intel in our own constituency in Kildare North and of other organisations such as AMD and others throughout the country. They are all areas in which we have real global competitiveness. We are experts in those areas, have made significant progress in them and will continue to support them.
Question No. 13 taken with Written Answers.
Further and Higher Education
14. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to report on the work of officials within his Department on the new further education and training strategy in collaboration with SOLAS following the conclusion of its public consultation earlier this year. [25568/25]
This morning I wish to ask the Minister about the work of the officials in his Department on the new further education and training strategy in collaboration with SOLAS, particularly following the completions of its public consultation earlier this year.
The further education and training system is central to the delivery of skills across the country to boost national competitiveness and support inclusion. The Further Education and Training Act 2013 requires SOLAS to prepare a strategy for the provision of further education and training and submit it to the Minister for approval. SOLAS, in partnership with the Department, is progressing the development of the next strategy under these provisions, ensuring that it fully aligns with departmental and Government priorities.
The process for developing the next strategy, the third national strategy for the sector, began last year. SOLAS held several consultation workshops and meetings with more than 800 individuals and stakeholder representatives across the country to identify emerging themes. Officials from the Department worked closely with SOLAS, attending the sectoral consultation workshops. In addition, SOLAS launched a public consultation in January 2025, which resulted in more than 70 submissions from a diverse group of stakeholders. At the moment, SOLAS is considering the feedback and emerging themes from its stakeholder engagements to inform a draft strategy. That will be submitted for consideration to the Department in the coming weeks. Once agreed, the strategy will be launched, subject to the Minister's approval in line with the legislation.
I welcome the clarity that the Minister of State provided regarding the 800 individual meetings and 70 submissions to the public consultation. I look forward to hearing more details about that over the coming weeks as that is progressed.
One reason I am raising this issue is the importance of the apprenticeship sector, which this public consultation is dealing with. We have done quite well in raising the numbers from 7,000 registrations to 30,000 registrations. I want to see this momentum continued and hence I am looking forward to the feedback in this consultation.
As background to the strategy, its implementation resulted in significant progress between 2014 and 2019 in the development of the FET sector within the overall education landscape. Of course, we are now looking to the future. The second strategy from 2020-24 set out the role of FET in a more collaborative and cohesive tertiary education system for Ireland. Now, we are looking at the 2025-29 strategy, the third strategy. In developing this strategy, there is an acknowledgement that the FET sector has undergone a significant transformation in the past five years. It is important that we continue with the trajectory in order that FET can be a pivotal driver of sustainable economic growth, workforce development and, particularly, lifelong learning.
I welcome the approach of a collaborative strategy. It is worthwhile. All the actors and relevant stakeholders in our third level and further education sector are critical to make this work and create consistencies across the sector. I especially appreciate and welcome the focus on lifelong learning. I also welcome the focus on workforce transformation because we are operating in a transformative world. We have had debates concerning AI and the resources focused on it. This aspect will impact all sectors of our society, even the apprenticeship sector, where something will have to be included in this regard.
I echo my colleague's sentiments. I look forward to the publication of the new strategy. I compliment the Minister of State and the Department on the work done on the strategy to this point. The Minister, Deputy Lawless, and I last week visited the college of further education in Galway city. We saw the range of skills taught in that institution. Following that, it is very welcome that the college has been given approval to progress to the next stage of the design for its new campus. A high level of tuition is ongoing there and the facilities are of a high standard. It is wonderful to think this would be enhanced for the students attending the institution. The Minister and I met them last week and they come from a wide geographical area. I compliment the Minister of State for her work in this area and I look forward to the progression of this project.
It is very good news that Galway was one of two colleges given approval to proceed to the next step under the FET college of the future major projects fund. A total of 12 colleges have been earmarked and eight of them are progressing now. The Minister announced earlier this week that Galway was one of those eight colleges. Of course, the other four are on stream.
Returning to the Deputy's contribution, it is important to say when we talk about this new FET strategy that it will endeavour to respond to the OECD skills strategy review. This highlights the need for a more balanced educational and skills system. The Deputy mentioned apprenticeships. The 16 ETBs are uniquely positioned within the tertiary education landscape to address those core immediate skills. As the Minister said, we were down yesterday at the Mount Lucas construction training centre with the modern methods of construction, MMC, accelerator platform. It was really good to see some of the positive things happening.
Questions Nos. 15 to 18, inclusive, taken with Written Answers.
19. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the work being carried out to examine how best a person-centred support model for learners with disabilities can be developed across further and higher education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25306/25]
What work is being carried out to examine how best a person-centred support model for learners with disabilities can be developed across further and higher education? I do not think the Minister will be particularly shocked at me asking this question. An element of this question relates to personal assistants, a topic I have spoken about many times. I refer particularly to personal assistants working in further education colleges like Drogheda Institute of Further Education, DIFE, and the Ó Fiaich Institute of Further Education and the need for contracts for them. There is also a need to ensure the review of this work is carried out from the perspective of delivering for the students with disabilities.
I thank the Deputy and acknowledge his continuing interest in this area and in the matter he referred to at the end of his question. More generally, at the outset, supporting the participation and success of learners with disabilities is a critical national priority. It is something I have been very much engaged in since I took up my role, as were my predecessors. The Minister of State, Deputy Harkin, is also very much engaged. We are very keen to make an impact and progress in this area. This progress is being made as part of the national access plan. This aims to increase the number of new entrants with disabilities to higher education institutions and to have more people with disabilities accessing further and higher education across the board.
The latest figures available show participation has increased to 14.7% from 12.4% over the past three years. It is on target to reach 16% over the lifetime of the national access plan. In further education, 14,825 learners enrolled in FET programmes in 2023 reported having at least one type of disability. This figure constitutes 6.8% of all learners enrolled in that year. A range of existing supports and programmes are in place for learners with disabilities. The fund for students with a disability is provided across higher education and post-leaving certificate programmes, with an annual allocation of over €15 million. Many other supports fall within the scope of the fund, including assistive technology, non-medical helpers, ISL interpreters, transport supports, examination supports and many other types of supports made available to students where they need them.
The programme for access to higher education, PATH, 4 funding stream under the national access plan supports my Department's goals of enabling all learners with disabilities to avail of higher education. Just this week, I was very pleased to bring to Cabinet increased funding for PATH 4 that is particularly targeted at learners with intellectual disabilities. We have had some very successful courses. The Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities has some outstanding learners. I visited An Garraí Beag, a Down Syndrome Ireland centre, in my area of Sallins last week. I also visited other centres around the country, including Field of Dreams in Cork recently. There is good progress. It is heartening to see people with intellectual disabilities who may never have considered that university or higher education was an option for them actually making that journey now, being part of that system and making a valuable contribution to it.
Obviously, we all welcome the likes of PATH 4 funding. I suppose this is the whole idea in relation to course creation. From a capital perspective, too, there is the idea of making those reasonable accommodations that facilitate more people to be able to access further and higher education. Much work needs to be done. I visited several times the likes of some of the courses being funded. We have a specific course in DkIT that does a great deal of work with people with intellectual disabilities. This is about ensuring there are pathways for all our citizens.
I spoke before about Fórsa having a pay claim in now but the WRC was unable to deal with some of the issues. Reference was made to an interdepartmental review that is required in respect of the work personal assistants do with those who need facilitation relating to a training course. We are talking about people who do a great deal of work and we must do whatever we can to facilitate them.
As acknowledged regarding PATH 4, I did commit almost €3 million in additional funding just this week towards that funding. I also intend to initiate a disability demonstration project, which will inform the development of the new policy framework for more flexible and responsive tailored supports for those students and their educational journey. A great deal of work is being done.
Regarding the Fórsa claim, I know this is of particular interest to the Deputy. To give some brief background, personal assistants are employed in ETBs usually on fixed-term contracts. They are not paid outside term time, and there are different rules that apply. They are not public servants or covered by section 19 of the Education and Training Boards Act 2013 and they are not members of public sector pension schemes. They stand outside some of those provisions. Last year, the Department reviewed the hourly rate of personal assistants in response to discussions with a representative group of personal assistants. The Deputy may very well have been involved in that discussion. This led to a 42% increase in the hourly rate, which was a significant increase. The rate went from an average of €15 per hour to €21 per hour, with 8% holiday pay on top. Fórsa submitted a claim to the WRC subsequently.
Several aspects were resolved through the WRC conciliation process, including confirmation that qualified personal assistants should be awarded contracts of indefinite duration and their entitlements to sick leave and holiday pay were raised. There was another meeting in March. Further requests have been referred to the Labour Court. It is important that we respect the industrial relations machinery. I know the Deputy has a very strong interest in this area. That work is ongoing in the WRC and Labour Court.
I appreciate the answer from the Minister. We all did considerable lobbying on the hourly rate and welcome its increase, which was not before time. The only way this can become sustainable to allow these people to offer the absolutely necessary services to those with disabilities is by putting a proper 52-week contract in place. Work needs to be done by the Department along with other Departments. We all fear when we hear about interdepartmental reviews but we need to ensure the part that needs to be done here is done to facilitate this while accepting that a review is an absolute necessity to offer the necessary service to those with disabilities. Following our conversation last week, and not for the first time, I have requested a meeting with the PAs. If Fórsa and everybody else could be there, we could get those workers doing really brilliant work. We could settle that and face in the right direction of providing sustainable employment and delivering for those with disabilities.
I acknowledge the Deputy's ongoing advocacy for this group and we have talked about it on a number of occasions already. I know he may be a little sceptical of interdepartmental reviews and the rest of it, but the last one made significant progress. Anyone would acknowledge that a 42% pay increase is a pretty substantial one. Certainly progress has been made but I acknowledge that elements of it are still in dispute. That conciliation process is ongoing and the State has engaged the industrial relations machinery with the various referrals. I am keen to engage on it and keen to facilitate that meeting. The Minister of State, Deputy Harkin, may also engage with me, along with the Deputy. I just need to make sure it is appropriate in the context of the industrial relations process that is live. I will take advice on that but if I can do it, I will.
Construction Industry
I will allow Deputy McCormack to ask his question but only one reply because we are out of time.
20. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the steps his Department is taking to increase training capacity in modern methods of construction nationwide to meet housing and infrastructure targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25972/25]
I thank the Deputy for raising this important question. My Department is actively progressing measures to expand training capacity in modern methods of construction, MMC, nationwide. We have quantified that using MMC could lead to a reduction of almost 10,000 in the number of additional workers required to meet domestic building and retrofitting targets to 2030, which is highly significant.
Existing training capacity is being expanded through partners including SOLAS, Laois-Offaly Education and Training Board and Skillnet Ireland. New traineeships and micro-credentials are being developed and offsite manufacturing diplomas, short courses in sustainability and digital skills, and an MMC-specific portfolio of programmes are available. Along with the Minister, Deputy Lawless, I was delighted yesterday to launch a new digital platform, Skillnet MMC Accelerate, at Mount Lucas to support career progression and training navigation in this important area. A national demonstration park is under development at Mount Lucas. It will open later this year as a flagship destination for demonstration, specialist training and innovation.
In parallel, the Department is finalising an MMC action plan. Responding to the expert group on future skills needs recommendations, this sets out 58 targeted actions across areas such as digital construction, certification, early learning engagement and new training provision. It has been developed with Government, industry and education partners. All of this work is supported by funding of €3.5 million in 2025.
Rural Schemes
69. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the strategies being implemented to combat rural isolation, especially among the elderly population; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25971/25]
The issue of rural isolation, especially among the elderly, is relevant to the work of several Government Departments. It is a complex issue and can undermine the physical and mental well-being of people in both rural and urban settings. Loneliness requires a wide range of responses, including health interventions, community policing, rural transport, which we discussed earlier, tackling social exclusion and addressing disadvantage.
Our Rural Future is my Department’s whole-of-government strategy for rural development with actions to support rural communities, including addressing rural isolation. Within my Department, this issue is also addressed by the sustainable, inclusive and empowered communities strategy. Both strategies are underpinned by funding through the rural investment programme and community development programme, the latter of which supports projects and schemes across both rural and urban communities.
My Department provides financial and other supports to organisations throughout the country to address rural and urban isolation, including through the seniors alert scheme, which provides monitored personal alarms for elderly people; the community services programme, which supports a range of services, including meals on wheels; the local enhancement programme, which supports a huge variety of community groups, including social clubs, sports groups and local choirs; and support for men’s and women’s sheds, which provide a community setting for men and women to come together to learn, share skills, make friendships and break the cycle of isolation.
These and a range of other supports, including those which help community centres and community facilities with capital investment, are aimed at helping to ensure communities are inclusive places to live in and are equipped to reduce social isolation and loneliness.
I thank the Minister for his response. I acknowledge the valuable progress made through initiatives, such as the Local Link service which has provided vital transport connectivity for rural communities and older people in particular.
Rural ageing, however, must be placed more centrally within the Minister's Department agenda. Rural Ireland is ageing at a faster rate than urban centres and while transport is critical, it is only one part of the picture. We need an integrated strategy that addresses rural housing, access to health services, digital skills and opportunities for social participation.
Will the Minister's Department consider the development of a targeted rural ageing strategy to ensure older people in rural communities can age with dignity, independence and meaningful connection to the places they call home?
The Deputy makes a good suggestion and we will certainly look at it. The potential in the new Our Rural Future document is there to highlight rural isolation and what is happening. I encourage Deputy McCormack to attend the new in-person public consultation event on 17 June in Tullamore for Our Rural Future.
As I said, we have a range of schemes and there are schemes within the Department. For instance, the community centre investment scheme, which is not specifically an isolation or older persons intervention, provides a physical structure communities can use to build programmes and plans to get people into it. Through community centre investment, we were able to allocate €100,000 for Mucklagh community centre and €89,000 for Kilcormac community centre. As I said, the CLÁR programme is currently open. This will target rural areas experiencing decline, including transport provision and funding organisations to acquire buses to bring people into centres or to deliver meals to people.
We will definitely be looking at a specific isolation and elderly strategy because the Deputy is absolutely right that our figures are increasing but there is flexibility within all our programmes.
Following up on this, I wish to highlight the decline of rural services such as shops, post offices and pubs has done more than hurt the local economy. It has deeply affected the social fabric of rural life. These were not just businesses but gathering points and places where older people in particular had a chance to interact, feel valued and maintain a sense of belonging. This role has now largely fallen to local GAA and the church which do commendable work but it is simply not enough.
Rural isolation is real and we must be honest: it is a public health issue that costs lives every day. Will the Department consider incentivising the operation of small rural shops and services that act as social hubs for the community? We need to think creatively and act decisively if we are serious about protecting rural life and supporting our ageing population.
I thank Deputy McCormack for bringing this up because it is an issue very close to my heart and one I have been considering for a while. I had the opportunity to meet with the Irish Postmasters' Union yesterday morning. Speaking to it, a topic that came up was the impact and availability of the post office network, particularly in rural Ireland, to offset some of that exclusion and isolation that happens to all sorts of people living in rural communities but particularly older people.
I know there is a Minister of State with responsibility for older people and this cuts across a number of Departments but is this something the Minister might raise in his discussions with colleagues in government, namely, a concerted strategy which looks at the post office network, the Local Link transport network, the voluntary and community network, including in my area of west Waterford, mental health awareness, the daycare centre networks, meals on wheels and the men's and women's sheds? In my area of Tallow, Cappoquin, Lismore, Dungarvan and Portlaw, this could come together in localised strategies to combat isolation, particularly among older people in rural Ireland.
There is nothing I disagree with in either Deputies approach. I met the postmasters last week and the post office report is a very solid report. It is not only about the post office but about the postmen and postwomen who go out to communities and houses. For many people, this is the only contact they may have, and let us be realistic about it.
As I said, through the community services programme, we are supporting many organisations across the country, including in Waterford and Offaly, that are driving meals on wheels, which is again human interaction. We are working to support our men's sheds and the growing number of women's sheds, but men's sheds in particular because they are focused on older men or men who have retired and getting them into a group gathering. The men's shed movement has done huge work, particularly in targeting rural isolation among older men. Everyone in this Chamber at present is a rural TD and we know that is a challenge. I thank the men's sheds for doing that.
Regarding Local Link, 148 new services have been progressed by the National Transport Authority, NTA, in recent years, connecting 190 towns and villages to the bigger public transport network. That connection was not there previously. As I said, through CLÁR, we are funding specific interventions on transport to allow for meals on wheels, community organisations and medical transport across the country, which are making a big difference.
There is much work under way in different strands. We might need to tidy it all up and look at how it is addressing rural isolation and loneliness.
Community Development Projects
70. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the funding available for community groups seeking to construct capital facilities, such as community centres, pavilions, and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26263/25]
I thank Deputy Burke. In his previous role as Minister of State, he did much work on rural isolation and rural loneliness role and I acknowledge that.
Regarding the Deputy's question, the development and enhancement of community facilities is a priority for me and full details of the capital supports available are on my Department’s website. The community centre investment fund has provided in excess of €109 million since 2022 for the enhancement and refurbishment of existing community centres and the construction of new centres. Under the 2024 iteration of the fund, more than €33 million has been approved to support refurbishment works on more than 770 projects nationwide.
The community recognition fund, first introduced in 2023, has supported a range of community infrastructure projects, and recognises the huge efforts made by communities in welcoming and supporting people coming to Ireland.
A total of €100 million was allocated under the two iterations of the fund. The town and village renewal scheme, which is currently open for applications, is designed to support the revitalisation of rural towns and villages. The scheme enables the provision of funding for projects designed to rejuvenate town centres and includes projects to renovate and refurbish multipurpose community spaces. Since its launch, more than €177 million has been allocated to almost 1,800 projects across Ireland.
The rural regeneration and development fund is a major capital investment programme which seeks to support large-scale ambitious projects to achieve sustainable economic and social development in rural areas. Since 2018, €588 million has been allocated to 243 projects. The development of community facilities can also be funded under the LEADER programme, which is currently up and running across the country until 2027. There is a huge range of supports available and I am committed to further growing this support in line with the commitments made in the programme for Government.
As the Minister knows, Ballincollig, which is in my constituency, won the Tidy Towns competition in 2024. It involved a huge contribution from the community over many years. A really strong community spirit has been created. The problem I now have in my constituency in places like Blarney and Glanmire which have had huge population increases is that we have not set aside facilities to be developed for the community. Glanmire, which has a population of more than 20,000, has no real community facility. I know we will work with the local authority on it but this is something that needs to be prioritised in growing areas. In Blarney, the proposal is for 2,500 more houses to be built. Planning was granted for the first tranche of 270 houses in the past two weeks. The planning for community facilities also needs to be put in place. In my home parish of Innishcarra, there are 50 acres of community facilities. The GAA, the camogie club and the rugby club all have their own grounds in the centre of the community, all in one piece. The Minister should visit to see how a community can work. I am concerned that in areas where there is huge growth in population we are not planning for it. The Department needs to look at this issue very carefully.
Planning issues are a matter for the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. I agree that there should be a community element to all planning decisions. As regards Blarney, we allocated €204,000 in 2021 for the development of the Inch Park amenity. In 2023, €324,000 was allocated. This includes upgrades for the community centre. There was also €125,000 allocated to Glanmire in 2021 for enhancing John O'Callaghan Park. I commend the Ballincollig Tidy Towns committee. I was there in March. The Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, presented the national award to them last weekend. It is a wonderful example of volunteerism, ambition and pride, with the community all coming together. We launched the national Tidy Towns 2025 competition in Ballincollig in March. It was wonderful to meet the group and to see the work at first hand, and most important, to see their passion and interest in developing the community. I am looking for extra resources to support the new part of our community centre investment to allow us to build new centres in the areas the Deputy mentioned.
I acknowledge that Department officials work really hard and are getting good value for the money that is allocated. When money is allocated to a community group, it will raise a whole lot more money itself to develop and grow the facilities. My big concerns centres around the areas where there is a huge increase in housing. The Minister talked about the allocation in Blarney, which is very welcome. The money has been well looked after and well spent there in developing the facilities. In the future, 2,500 more houses will built there. It is about making sure we have clearly marked out where we are going to put additional community facilities. Likewise in Glanmire, 30 acres was given to the FAI more than 12 years ago and it is still lying idle. We need to bring that into use and do major development for the town. The GAA club in Glammire does not have the capacity to take the huge number of young people who want to join the club. The club is finding it very challenging to cater for everyone because of the growth in the area. The issue of 30 acres lying idle needs to be resolved.
In the overall context of any development such as the housing referred to by the Deputy, first it is a matter for the local authority to put the plans in place. It draws down development levies for all of that construction. It should put the plan in place to have that facility developed. My Department will then be more than happy to work with it to identify potential funding opportunities. Part of the funding for Glanmire was to do a feasibility study for a community centre hub in 2021. I would be very interested to see where that went, where the feasibility study is and if we can work with the Deputy to drive that on. I am very happy to do that. However, in the first instance, the local authority is the prime development and planning agency. When it considers that level of planning the Deputy referred to, it should identify the kind of facilities that are needed. When housing is built, facilities also need to be built. We should have learned over the years, particularly in urban areas, to put the community halls and the sports and recreation facilities in. My Department is more than happy to work with any local authority that has that vision.
Another place the Minister should visit the next time he is in Cork is the Glen Resource Centre. I was involved a long time ago in getting funding from Europe to start the centre. There are now more than 80 organisations using it. This is because of the contribution of the local community in developing and growing it. It is an important facility in an area where there was a lot of local authority housing and we would not have been able to raise funding. We got the funding from Europe under a capital programme to develop the centre. We need to look at inner-city areas as well because they do not necessarily have the funding. It is about making sure that they are not left behind. The Minister should visit the Glen Resource Centre to see how a community working with the local authority and the Government can develop a very good facility.
Question No. 71 taken with Written Answers.
Rural Schemes
72. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the steps being taken to address rural depopulation and encourage young people to remain in or return to rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25970/25]
What steps are being taken to address rural depopulation by encouraging young people to remain in, or return to, rural areas?
Our Rural Future is the whole-of-government policy for sustainable rural development. It seeks to ensure that all rural areas are attractive for people to live, work and raise their families in. One of the high-level outcomes set out in Our Rural Future is to increase the number of people living in rural areas. Rural population trends, as we discussed earlier, in line with many of the issues addressed by Our Rural Future, require input from across a range of Government Departments. This can be seen in the range of actions that have been delivered across Government in areas such as broadband and digital connectivity, transport, support for rural enterprises and support for the agrifood sector.
Within my own Department, I am committed to ensuring that schemes and supports in place retain a clear focus on supporting the vibrancy and sustainability of rural areas. In recent years we have seen unprecedented levels of financial support provided under schemes such as the rural and regional development fund, the town and village renewal scheme, the community centre investment fund, the LEADER programme and CLÁR. I will continue to ensure that these schemes are funded and targeted in the coming years to provide vital supports to rural areas and the young people who live there.
We are currently working on a new our rural future policy to run from 2026. We are undertaking a nationwide consultation. This strategy will also be informed by an independent OECD review of rural policy in Ireland, together with the consultation process, which will see us in Tullamore in June. There will also be a national youth assembly on rural policy in September. This will focus on young people in particular, the issues for young people and how to keep them and their families in rural areas. As I said, this has been a major focus in the consultations to date and will continue to shape the development of the new our rural future policy from 2026-30.
The continuing loss of young people from rural areas like Offaly is deeply worrying. The truth is that we are educating our children to live elsewhere. We equip them with the skills, ambition and drive but the jobs, housing and services they need to build a future in the locality are not in place.
This trend is affecting everything - from school enrolments to local businesses and the fabric of rural community life. The longer it continues, the harder it becomes to reverse. There is no silver bullet for this: it demands joined-up thinking and a real commitment across the Government. Will the Minister take the lead in his Department to work with the Departments of housing, education, enterprise and Transport to ensure young people have genuine opportunities to live, work and stay rooted in their communities?
Absolutely. We will work with all the Departments on this. There is no point in us making this level of investment in rural communities unless we can encourage younger people to come back. I share the Deputy's frustration and agree with what he said about educating younger people. We must ensure they have the opportunities to bring them back.
I point to the level of investment in Offaly in projects such as the regeneration of the Tesco site in Edenderry, which is a €12.2 million investment under the RRDF. A total of €588,000 has been provided in aid to community centres. Some €8.6 million will be provided under the LEADER programme between now and 2027. A total of €250,000 has been provided for town and village renewal in Ferbane. Those are a mix of projects across the county aimed at improving the vibrancy of the economy of the local areas. Collectively, they represent a very significant investment in the county by my Department. We will continue to make those levels of investment.
I look forward to the national rural youth assembly in September to get the views of young people directly on what we can do better to keep them in their areas after they have had their education and travelled, when they are ready to settle. We must let them come back and facilitate them to come home.
I wish to highlight one example which reflects the broader issue. I refer to the sharp decline in the number of young farmers. Farming is still the backbone of rural life, in particular in Offaly, yet fewer young people see it as a viable future. They face high entry costs, housing challenges and limited local supports. This is not just about agriculture, it shows how rural Ireland is becoming less accessible for the next generation. If we do not act, we will not just be losing farmers but community leaders, volunteers and local families that hold rural life together. I urge the Department to recognise that rural regeneration depends on a strong, diverse rural economy, one that includes farming, but also services, trades and small enterprises. Will the Minister ensure these voices and sectors are fully supported as part of his Department's future planning?
As the Deputy says, agriculture is still the core of rural Ireland, not just economically but socially as well in terms of the leadership, skills and supply chain that are provided. I will engage with the farming organisations as we carry out the consultation process on Our Rural Future. We will be looking for their input and support.
There have been various iterations of support from my Department, through social enterprise. This year, for example, there has been very good investment in FoodCloud and trying to reduce food waste. That helps rural businesses as well. We have also supported rural social enterprises.
I assure Deputy McCormack that the involvement of young people in rural Ireland is core to this consultation process, because the process would be much weaker without their involvement and input. I welcome any Deputy or Senator who provides a targeted response on how we can support young people to remain in or to come back to rural Ireland to establish a business. In my previous Ministry, through the regional enterprise plans, we had a number of supports for start-up businesses by younger people.
Questions Nos. 73 and 74 taken with Written Answers.
75. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the total amount paid out in CLÁR funding in each of the past five years, by county; the county that received the lowest amount, and which received the highest; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25736/25]
I thank the Minister very much for engaging on this important topic. I ask him to provide a breakdown over the past five years on CLÁR funding per county. How does our county, Mayo, compare?
I thank the Deputy. As he is aware, CLÁR is a very important funding stream for remote rural areas. In recent years it has funded a vast array of community amenities such as community centres, sporting facilities, playgrounds, sensory gardens and walking trails. As we already discussed, it is also a growing source of funding for vehicles to transport people with disabilities and to allow people to access vital health services, such as cancer services.
I have provided the Deputy with a table outlining the level of funding under CLÁR for each county between 2020 and 2024. The 2025 scheme is currently open for applications, and I will announce successful projects later this year. Between 2020 and 2024, more than €51 million was approved for almost 1,300 projects nationwide under the CLÁR programme. The level of funding has increased from just under €6 million in 2020 to almost €14 million, covering more than 320 projects, in 2024.
County Mayo has the highest level of CLÁR funding, with €4.1 million being provided. The level of funding must be considered in the context of the size of each county and also the size of the CLÁR area in each county. The scheme only applies in designated rural areas that were selected based on the level of depopulation across the country over a defined period. As such, the proportion of each county designated as being a CLÁR area and the number of people located in CLÁR areas differs across the country.
I look forward to receiving applications for innovative, community-focused projects from across the country, including Mayo, in the coming weeks. We are also beginning a review of CLÁR areas to ensure that we capture within the scheme areas that have experienced depopulation and to ensure that areas that qualify are not excluded.
I look forward to reviewing the breakdown. The Tánaiste stated this morning that the Government has failed and is failing children with disabilities. I propose that funding for playgrounds would require them to have an inclusive element. The State is failing children with disabilities. There is a significant lack of services for children - a lack of space in schools, a lack of CDNTs and significant delays with assessments of need. Perhaps the Government could provide some short-term joy to these children, who are not looking for much. I refer to sensory panels and wheelchair-accessible equipment for swings and other activities that would have a major impact. Funding for playgrounds should have an element of funding ring-fenced for inclusive equipment.
I agree with the Deputy about that kind of funding. We will be looking at that from 2026 onwards. We have already funded sensory parks under CLÁR and we will continue to do that. We have also funded the upgrading and replacement of many facilities across the country, including in Mayo, to make equipment more suitable for children with disabilities and communities with disabilities. When local authorities submit applications I would encourage them to ensure there is a space included for that purpose.
I visited Carlow recently to look at a playground there which has been developed with people with disabilities in mind. It is a fantastic facility. I commend the thought that went into it. I also commend Mayo County Council on the work it is doing on sensory parks across the county. Within the allocations under CLÁR, I will emphasise support for programmes and recreational facilities not just for children but people with disabilities.
I too commend Mayo County Council on the great work it is doing. I also commend Manulla FC for its leading work on supporting children and families with disabilities.
I also wish to raise Ballyhaunis. The purpose of CLÁR is to support rural towns. In recent years, Ballyhaunis has lost three of its banks and the credit union is now reducing its hours. The lack of financial institutions in the town has resulted in a loss of economic activity. We are seeing a hollowing out of the town in regard to economic enterprise. While the issue is not directly under the Minister's remit, it is very much linked to rural development. We cannot afford to lose the credit union from the town. The question is what will be next after the reduction in opening hours. People wonder what is down the line. Enough is enough.
I ask the Minister to intervene and to work with First Choice Credit Union, not just in Ballyhaunis but also in Balla, Swinford and Kiltimagh.
I would point out that, as the Deputy is aware, there is substantial current investment by my Department in Ballyhaunis through RRDF projects, the regeneration of a number of properties and the town centre management. I am very aware of the issues raised by the Deputy and I do not want any diminution of services in any part of the county. There is substantial investment under way in the fabric to increase the attractiveness of the town centre and to improve it as a place to do business. I will continue to support that level of facility.
We are also looking to expand the range of CLÁR activities. Mayo is very well covered but there are areas across the country that we are beginning to examine in terms of expanding CLÁR funding and increasing the number of areas that are in it. Obviously, it excludes towns and cities. As mentioned earlier, we also have to focus on urban poverty and urban areas. We previously had the RAPID programme, which was the big brother of CLÁR, and we are looking at reintroducing that to give the level of support to our towns and cities that is given to other areas.
Regeneration Projects
77. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development his plans to resource town centre first and establish a dedicated town regeneration team in every local authority focused on tackling vacancy and dereliction in town and villages as committed in the programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26324/25]
I ask the Minister if the Department plans to resource town centre first and establish a dedicated town regeneration team in every local authority focused on tackling vacancy and dereliction in town and villages, as committed in the programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. I am looking over at Deputy Wall, who is from Athy in County Kildare, while I am from Leixlip. We know first-hand in County Kildare the opportunity that this would give us.
It is great to see such cross-party co-operation across the two different constituencies.
Launched in 2022, the town centre first policy is a major cross-government policy that aims to tackle vacancy, combat dereliction and breathe new life into our town centres. TCF supports the Our Rural Future vision for a thriving rural Ireland by setting out the scaffolding and framework to facilitate and resource the regeneration of Irish towns to ensure they are vibrant and viable places to live, work, invest in and visit.
Important developments to date include the establishment of a dedicated national town centre first office which drives the actions under the policy, the establishment of town teams nationally and the appointment of 26 town regeneration officers. These officers act as a key link between the local authority, towns and villages and their communities. More broadly, they also currently work closely across the multidisciplinary technical teams in local authorities, such as capital delivery teams, which are also funded by my Department, vacant homes officers, broadband officers and night-time economy officers, and build linkages with town teams and other stakeholders.
The new programme for Government commits to the continuing resourcing of the town centre first model and to establish a town centre regeneration team in every local authority. My Department will continue to work closely with colleagues in the national TCF office, local authorities and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to ensure the ongoing implementation of the policy and to deliver on the goal of revitalising rural towns and villages. Importantly, the town centre first approach is also underpinned by a range of capital funding streams that have been aligned with the policy aims of town centre first. These include the rural regeneration and development fund, the town and village renewal scheme, the THRIVE scheme and the urban regeneration and development fund.
I thank the Minister for his response. He referenced the rural but I am also conscious of Kildare, which has the unique issue that it has a number of large towns, like Athy and Newbridge in the south, and Monasterevin, Clane, Celbridge, Leixlip, Naas, Maynooth and Kilcock in the north. We can see where dereliction has impacted those towns and where there is a need for regeneration. We have a great team in Kildare County Council but it is small, with just one or two individuals who are actually going out to try to tackle that dereliction. We know that through the laws and even through the courts, some of the issues can be blocked.
My mother is from outside Boyle, County Roscommon, and I have seen how Boyle has been rejuvenated. We can see the benefit of town centre first and how it comes together. A lot of that has been done through Government funding and the purchase of a local hotel. I have seen how it can work and how we can have positive solutions in some areas. What I want is to have that rolled out across the country, starting with County Kildare at Leixlip, Celbridge, Kilcock and down to Athy, where Deputy Wall is from.
Does Deputy Wall wish to come in?
I do. I cannot let the occasion go without putting on the white jersey as well, which is what we do regularly in County Kildare across the parties. Deputy Neville is right that there is a huge issue in the major towns of County Kildare. The population of Kildare is very urban-based and town regeneration is needed. I welcome the fact there are town regeneration officers in County Kildare. As Deputy Neville said, they are doing great work but they need to be properly resourced and need additional resources. My home town of Athy has started a scheme where we are trying to put money together to regenerate the town and give it a lick of paint for the summer and all the festivals that may come there. I believe more resources should be put into this by the Government, as Deputy Neville said. Every town needs a facelift and needs regeneration. I acknowledge the start by the Government but we need to do more. We need to put in extra resources, as Deputy Neville has said.
I thank both Deputies. As they acknowledged, there is a town centre first officer in Kildare. The town centre first town plan under phase 1, which was announced in December 2021 for Kildare, includes Clane, and phase 2 includes Castledermot. Through the town centre first town team support funds, we are funding teams in Monasterevin, Kilcullen and Ballymore Eustace to do their work locally. I will be visiting Athy later in the year and look forward to seeing all the work that is about to be done.
I agree with the Deputies. Deputy Neville touched on Boyle, which is a fantastic example of a town that has been regenerated through State investment and, more importantly - this applies to all of these projects - through community ownership. There is no point in multimillion State investment unless the community owns it. Boyle and Athy are good examples of where the community is driving that investment and taking ownership of the investment but, more importantly, taking ownership of the results of the investment to ensure it is protected and that it delivers the overall regeneration of the town.
I thank Deputy Wall for his contribution. We did not organise this but, at the same time, we are speaking with one voice because we know the issues at hand. I am sure that other counties could do the same. I thank the Minister for his depth of knowledge and his interest in the topic. We need to ensure this gets rolled out.
Ferry Services
76. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when a new ferry service will be provided for Tory Island; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26287/25]
Tógaim an cheist fá dtaobh de bád farantóireachta Thoraigh. Seo bád a bhí gealta do Oileán Thoraí agus an pobal in 2018 agus é le bheith tógtha taobh istigh de thrí bliana. Go fóill, níl bád ar bith ar fáil.
I want to raise the issue of the Tory Island ferry. It was a commitment given by the Government in 2018 that a ferry would be provided and there was a vote on the island to deal with an issue that had arisen. It was supposed to be delivered within three years but there is no boat, no ferry and no plans for a ferry anytime soon. Now, there is a condition saying this is attached to a pier, although that had never been the case. There are ferries going in and out of Magheraroarty pier all the time. The Government needs to deliver on the commitment.
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. Tá mé chun freagra a thabhairt as Béarla, tá brón orm.
My Department makes a significant annual investment in subsidised transport services to ensure our island communities can avail of reliable, affordable year-round ferry and heavy cargo services. In the case of Oileáin Thoraí, there are four separate subsidised transport services provided for the island at an annual cost of approximately €750,000. Comharchumann Thoraí now plays a more central role in monitoring services to ensure they are delivered in line with contracts and that the issues that may arise are addressed promptly. This approach has resulted in a significant improvement in the delivery of all subsidised services to the island.
The main daily ferry service provides, at a minimum, two return sailings per day and can carry eight tonnes of light cargo per sailing. It is an important service that supports all aspects of island life, from tourism to indigenous island businesses. Last year, a new fast ferry service that provides two daily return sailings was launched for Oileáin Thoraí. This is an important addition to the existing suite of services as it originates from the island each morning. Residents can now be on the mainland before 9 a.m. each morning without having to travel the night before and, therefore, do not have to incur the extra expense and inconvenience of staying overnight.
The heavy cargo service has also seen vast improvements in recent times. Scheduled sailings are now planned in conjunction with Comharchumann Thoraí and the Department. Multiple mainland ports are used to deliver the service depending on the type of cargo being carried. This new flexibility has greatly enhanced the service and has had a beneficial impact on the community.
The winter helicopter service, provided in conjunction with the HSE, has been extended to start in October and end the following April. The scheduling of the service is far more flexible and, in particular, can serve residents returning home during busy periods.
The current subsidised range of services is meeting a community need. However, I am aware of the situation in respect of Magheraroarty Pier. I intend to visit it over the summer to envisage it. My understanding is that we allocated funding to Donegal County Council to complete a report and we are waiting on that. The Deputy has raised it with me previously, as has Deputy Pat The Cope Gallagher. I intend to visit Magheraroarty during the summer and I am happy to meet the Deputy there.
I thank the Minister for his response in regard to the existing services for Tory. Obviously, a tender will issue for those services supported by the Department later in the year.
The key point I want to raise is that in 2018, before Deputy Calleary's time as Minister, there was a serious issue with the ferry in and out of Tory. As a result, the Government brought in a mediator and made Government proposals. One of those proposals is that a brand-new ferry that would be suitable for Tory Island would be built. Whoever operated the ferry was a matter for tender, but it would be built at a cost of €4 million and it would be delivered within three years. It is seven years on and that ferry is nowhere to be seen. It is nowhere in the planning stages. It is nowhere in the design stages. What we heard last year from the Minister's predecessor was that the Government is not actually moving ahead with that at the minute, that it is still committed to it but that the reason it is not moving ahead is it has to do works at Magheraroarty. The point I am making to the Minister is Magheraroarty is completely separate. The ferry service that the Minister outlined to the Dáil operates from Magheraroarty. A brand-new, state-of-the-art ferry can also operate from there. Is the Department committed to the proposal it put to the island community in 2018 to deliver that and will the Minister uncouple it from Magheraroarty and deliver on this project?
I can assure the Deputy that what we have done is prioritise services into Oileán Thoraí to make sure that they are being delivered, that there is the traditional ferry service and that there is a fast ferry service. They are new services and they are providing a strong service.
I have been told there is an issue with Magheraroarty Pier. Donegal County Council was awarded funding to come back with a report on that issue. As I said, I intend to go there to see it for myself but as of now, we are focused on delivering services we have the capacity to deliver, namely, those fast sailings and the more traditional sailings, and I will continue to support those services. I have far greater belief in getting to see something for myself and engaging with the community on the ground when we do that, as I will do over the summer.
I appreciate the fact the Minister is coming to Magheraroarty over the summer. At that opportunity, we might meet Comharchumann Thoraí as well to see how this commitment can be progressed. I would welcome that.
As I said, this is really about a brand-new boat that was promised. When the Government has made a promise, it needs to be delivered. This is what I would like to tease out with the Minister. Whoever operates the service will operate the service, but they will operate a brand-new ferry.
There are possibilities here to cut the travel time as well. With a brand-new, bespoke boat that is built and suitable for that journey, which is a difficult one, we could reduce the travel time. This would increase the benefit for the islanders but also for tourism. We see a huge uptick in tourism.
I welcome the fact the Minister has committed to visit. During that visit, we might arrange a meeting specifically in respect of the new ferry as well in order that we could discuss how to move that forward.
I certainly look forward to the visit but want to be straight with the Deputy that as of now, the intention is to examine those existing services. I will sit down with the Deputy, Deputy Gallagher and the comharchumann to look at it because I want to get a full understanding of it and see for myself how the service works. I will not just go to Magheraroarty; I will go on to the oileán freisin.
Regeneration Projects
78. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if an rural regeneration and development fund, RRDF, application (details supplied) can be expedited given the declining condition of the building; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25392/25]
Can the RRDF application submitted by Galway County Council in regard to the redevelopment of Gort convent be expedited? It is an urgent project, given the declining condition of the building. It is important to the local community and I urge the Government to approve it as soon as possible.
I thank Deputy O'Hara for his question on this project. As he will be aware, the RRDF is a major capital investment programme seeking to support large-scale, ambitious projects that can achieve sustainable economic and social development in rural areas. To date, the RRDF has allocated €588 million for 243 projects across the country.
A fourth call for category 2 applications was launched in October 2024. Typically, projects deemed successful under category 2 can access funding of up to €1 million per project to cover the initial costs of planning, design and technical work which will enable later large-scale development. The closing date for applications under this call was 14 March last.
I can confirm that an application in respect of the project referenced by the Deputy has been received. The selection of projects for funding under the RRDF is subject to an assessment process, which is under way.
The type of projects supported by the fund, and the level of investment likely to be considered, is large scale and ambitious and each application received must be given the appropriate time for consideration and appraisal in line with the requirements of the Department's programmes, but also with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform's infrastructure guidelines.
As this assessment is under way, I hope to be in a position to make an announcement later this year. I remain committed to ensuring that the RRDF can continue to support high-quality and ambitious projects across rural Ireland.
This application is about progressing plans to transform the convent into a remote working and cultural and community hub. I acknowledge the work of the Gort Town Team and other local groups on this project. There are many active groups in the area that would like to make use of such facilities, including the resource centre, the forge and many more that do fantastic work in the area.
This is an iconic building in the town. It has had many uses over the years but has been vacant for some time. It is on the path to decline. There is urgency around this to secure the building and prevent it from falling into disrepair. It is a very important application for the town of Gort.
I would ask that the application be expedited, if at all possible, and approved to allow these important plans to proceed. The Minister mentioned "later this year" as a timeline. Is it possible to give a more specific timeframe than that?
I have heard the Deputy's case and I note the project from his question. We have to ensure these projects are done properly. The documents have only been with us since 14 March and there will be engagement on the viability of the project. The core aspect about this specific measure is that it opens up potential funding again. There will be engagement with Galway County Council, which is the promoter, and ultimately with the town team, around aspects of it. It is a competitive process.
However, we also have significant investment through the RRDF across Galway and that will continue. There is €3.3 million in Athenry, €1.7 million in Tully Cross, Connemara, €1.19 million in Portumna Vision 2030 and €4.2 million in Loughrea. There is considerable commitment to projects in County Galway and that commitment will continue.
I welcome the Minister's engagement with the council and the town team. I emphasise the declining condition of this building and its historical significance. It cannot be lost. There is much urgency around this. The plans the council and the local community have would be transformational for the local area. It is an exciting project but, obviously, funding is needed to progress it. I ask that the need to protect the building be taken on board.
Is it possible to get any further clarity on the timeline as to when a decision is expected to be made in this regard?
I completely hear the Deputy. Many of the projects we have involve older buildings that people are seeking to repurpose. The process is designed to protect those buildings but also to protect the investment and to ensure that the investment we make at this stage will unlock potential future investment. There is no point in us opening up an expectation in respect of investment that we may not be able to reach, particularly for older buildings. I will engage with the Deputy and his office on the project and the timelines under the current assessment phase. We have our own demands and standards within the Department. We have to ensure they are in line with the standards of the Department of public expenditure. I will come back to the Deputy with an update on it.
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