Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 October 2024
343. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science how many adult education tutors were employed in 2023 and 2024 respectively; the amount spent on teaching hours in ETBs in 2023 and 2024; if there has been a reduction in the number of funded hours for adult education and a reduction in the number of courses offered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42131/24]
View answerMy Department does not hold this level of information requested by the Deputy. Further, my Department does not collect data on the numbers of tutors in the public sector returns for staffing numbers as these are hourly paid positions which are not pensionable. However, from work over recent years to prepare for the creation of a new Adult Educator grade and pay scale, my officials identified that there are approximately 2,800 tutors employed by the 16 ETBs. Going forward, the new Adult Educator grade will be included in the public sector returns.
As the Deputy may be aware, my Department has significantly increased its investment in the Further Education and Training sector, from circa €909 million in 2020 to €1,055 million in 2024. SOLAS allocates most of this funding to the 16 ETBs to deliver FET programmes. As independent statutory bodies, the allocation and management of this funding to different FET programmes within each ETB, and the timetabling of courses and tutor hours, is a matter for the ETB in light of needs for provision and available budgets. In my role as Minister, I have no function in relation to these important operational matters.
The reprioritisation of significant funding within the overall FET allocation this year to increase apprenticeship training capacity has created pressure to the sector with some ETBs deferring and rescheduling courses in light of their overall budgetary position.
