LIVE: Over €1.5 million boost in funding announced for Tipperary ETB
The funding was announced today by Independent TD Michael Lowry.
Funding announced today will see Tipperary ETB receive €1,740,000 in funding, sharing a total allocation of €39million in Devolved Capital Funding to be disbursed across the 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs) across the country.
Overall funding announced today provides an increased allocation of €12m for the standard Devolved Capital Grant for 2026, up from €8m in 2025.
The Devolved Capital Grant provides ETBs with the flexibility to support a wide range of small-scale building works that include ongoing and planned preventative maintenance, health and safety works, access and refurbishment works, together with infrastructural improvement works and equipment upgrades, including ICT.
Deputy Michael Lowry says that this increased funding will assist ETBs in managing Capital Project Budgets and timelines during a time of continued construction inflation, increased material and labour costs and supply chain challenges.
The overall allocation also includes €7 million to meet specific purpose projects. These projects will enable ETBs to procure high-end equipment and support the expansion of Skills to Advance Micro Qualifications for industry to multiple providers nationally.
It will fund the upgrade of high-tech equipment to upskill and reskill staff in the biopharmaceutical and MedTech sectors and the procurement of specialist equipment to support the training, licencing and upskilling of construction, green skills and other sectors.
The funding will support continued energy efficiency measures, ongoing Capital Investment in the FET estate and the provision of specialist equipment to support the upskilling of the construction, MedTech and other sectors nationally.
In addition to the standard Devolved Capital Grant, this funding provides an additional €8 million for the Green Devolved Capital Grant for 2025 and an increased allocation of €12 million for 2026 to support the ETBs in the delivery of energy efficiency and decarbonisation targets for Further Education and Training buildings.
The additional 2025 allocation is in addition to €8 million announced in early 2025.
The increased Green Devolved Capital Gant allocation will support ETBs in achieving their 2030 energy efficiency and decarbonisation targets as set out in the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate.
Funding is provided under Project Ireland 2040 and forms part of the ongoing investment in the further education and training (FET) sector.
The funding will be distributed to the ETBs through SOLAS (tSeirbhís Oideachais Leanúnaigh agus Scileanna).