Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 October 2025
894. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the detailed breakdown of funding allocations for Leargas for 2024, 2025 and 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56838/25]
View answerIreland is designated as a programme country under the Erasmus+ and European Solidary Corps (ESC) programmes. As part of the programme, each programme country must nominate a national authority to monitor and supervise the management of the programme at national level. Ireland’s nominated national authority is based in my Department.
As national authority, my Department has designated Léargas as the national agency in the fields of education, youth and community work, vocational education and training.
The Erasmus+ programme is founded on Regulation (EU) 2021/817, which establishes the Erasmus+ programme for education, training, youth, and sport. The ESC programme operations are governed by Regulation (EU) 2021/888, which defines the programmes objectives and scope.
Under the Erasmus+ regulation the national authority is obliged to provide adequate co-financing for the operations of its national agency to ensure that the Programme is managed in compliance with the applicable Union rules.
On this basis my Department provides Léargas with annual funding of €1.295m towards its operational costs.
The Department of Education and Youth, provided annual funding of €712,289 in 2024 and €819,132 in 2025 to Léargas to support its role in the implementation of the Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps programmes. The Department of Education and Youth further provided €28,519 in 2024 and €85,281.70 in 2025 towards e-Twinning, an online space where schools can collaborate.
In addition to the funding allocated by the Exchequer Léargas receive funding directly from the European Commission by way of a management fee. In 2024 Léargas received €2.419m, in 2025 €2.589m and are due to receive €2.580m in 2026.
In line with standard practice, the final allocation of funding for both my Department and the Department of Education and Youth for 2026 will be set out in the 2026 Revised Estimates Volume (REV) which is due to be published later this year. Further details on the 2026 allocations will be available after the 2026 REV process is complete.
