Laois/Offaly Educational Training Board is in line to receive €2,610,000 in funding to further improve and develop the training facilities in Laois and Offaly.
This funding may be used by ETBs to plan and deliver, at a local level, essential small-scale works to improve the FET infrastructure, provide for essential new or upgrades to equipment needs and implement energy efficiency and decarbonisation-related investment.
TD Charlie Flanagan welcomed the news and spoke about how the funding will be used.
He said: “News of extra funding for LOETB is hugely welcome and will have a really positive impact on the learners and staff in each education and training facility across Counties Laois and Offaly.
“The continued investment in our Education and Training facilities in the constituency has been exceptional and shows Fine Gael’s commitment in Government to ensuring young learners are placed in state of the art, comfortable and environmentally friendly facilities to develop the skills of the future.
“Fine Gael will always invest in education to safeguard the future of this country and build on the progress made over the past decade.
“We have built together a thriving economy where whoever wants a job has a job and we will continue to invest in our communities to make sure we have a resilient society equipped to face any of the challenges that come our way in years to come.”
Deputy Flanagan added: “ETBs around the country are playing a huge role in making sure we have a skilled workforce.
“If we want to build more homes, we need to train more people and to do that we need to invest in our education and training facilities.
“If we want to meet our climate targets and make a greener economy we need to invest in our education facilities to be decarbonised and become more energy efficient.
“The funding announced today will deliver stronger communities across the country and most importantly my colleague Minister for Further and Higher Education, Simon Harris has announced this level of funding will be maintained for at least the next 2 years.”
So too did Fianna Fail TD Sean Fleming.
He said: “The continuation of this vital funding to the LOETB is very welcome.
“This funding will be continued at the same level, for the next two years. This will allow the LOETB to build on their plans not just for 2024, but for 2025 and 2026.
“This is an important investment in the Laois and Offaly Training and Education Board and their learners.
“The LOETB provide an invaluable service to support people who wish to return to education.”
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