Simon Harris says new €430m fund for third-level education is a 'step change' 

Simon Harris said apprenticeships and training courses will be key to achieving the Government's retrofitting targets including home insulation. Picture: iStock

Further and Higher Education Minister Simon Harris has hailed as a “step change” a new funding announcement for third-level institutions.

The €430m capital investment in the further and higher education sectors will see 45% of the total allocation directed to further education and training, including the expansion of skills centres and apprenticeship programmes across the country, and the establishment of further education and training colleges of the future.

Mr Harris said new apprenticeships will be key to helping the Government hit its retrofitting targets and said there is capacity to train 4,500 tradespeople at the moment.

“We already saw a very significant increase, 125 calls to one centre, from tradespeople in one day after the announcement,” said Mr Harris.

So, what I want to say to any plumber, electrician, carpenter, please don’t think you’ve got to go off and do a big, long apprenticeship. A lot of these courses are a day, two days, three days. I think the longest is three weeks.

“They’re free, fast, and flexible,” he said on RTÉ radio yesterday.

The funding announcement will see €430m spent up to 2025 on four programmes, focused on providing essential additional capacity at technological universities in the regions, a second round of the higher education strategic infrastructure fund, a further education training college of the future major projects fund, and a strategic infrastructure upgrade fund.

'It is vitally important we invest in infrastructure across the system,' said Further and Higher Education Minister Simon Harris. Picture: Naoise Culhane

Mr Harris said the funding announcement was “essential” for his ambitions for the sector.

“This is a really exciting time for third-level education," he said.  “As we progress the policy for a unified tertiary system, it is vitally important we invest in infrastructure across the system.

"The next phase of investment will position the further and higher education sectors to together cater for rising demand by offering a comprehensive range of complementary options for learners. 

This includes increasing numbers of school leavers seeking further and higher education places — including apprenticeships — as well as those seeking to reskill and upskill throughout their lives. 

Mr Harris also said he is considering changing or abolishing the €3,000 third-level contribution fee.

“I do believe for some families the college costs can be very significant. If you have two children and you’re trying to put them both through an undergraduate degree and you don’t qualify for the Susi grant, you’re going to pay about €24,000 in registration fees.”