2026-04-23

217. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to provide an update on funding cuts to the Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29090/26]

I ask the Minister of State to provide an update on the funding cuts to the Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board. This specifically relates to the cut to English for speakers of other languages, ESOL, funding, which has resulted in the loss of 25 teachers and hundreds of classes within GRETB. This has had a devastating impact of which I know the Minister of State is aware.

The Deputy did bring this to my attention previously. I assure him that there have been no cuts to GRETB's core funding allocation. My Department remains committed to supporting a further education and training, FET, system that enables individual success, supports economic growth and strengthens communities, underpinned by almost €1.1 billion in current funding for ETBs in 2026. In 2026, GRETB's core allocation is €65.7 million. That is an extra €4.3 million relative to what was delivered 2025. In fact, it is an increase of over 34% to what was delivered in 2020. There are, therefore, no cuts to the allocation. I understand what the Deputy is referring to, however, which is the conclusion of what was temporary emergency funding that was introduced following the outbreak of war in Ukraine in 2022. As I said, that was time-limited, temporary funding, but it did significantly expand ESOL provision for a fixed time period to meet exceptional demand. As was always intended, the temporary funding has now concluded, and ESOL funding has reverted to its pre-2022 core funding, which is in line with the parameters for budget 2026. While I acknowledge that the ending of these temporary supports presents challenges for some ETBs, it is important to be clear that this does not constitute a reduction in the overall ETB budget.

I thank the Minister of State. I visited the Dunmore centre last week. I met with some of the English language students whose classes have been cancelled. These are people for whom English is not their first language. These classes really helped them to integrate into the community and find employment and so on. It was really heartening to hear what a positive difference it has made for them but, unfortunately, their classes have been cancelled. It is not just English language and literacy. We also had Irish language classes being cancelled in Athenry, which is really disappointing when we should be doing everything we can to promote the language. Digital literacy has also been affected in other areas. It is really disappointing because this has impacted on vulnerable and marginalised students in particular. It has also impacted a lot of teachers who were very close to completing their four years and receiving permanent contracts. It was a slap in the face for them after years of service. Altogether, 25 teachers and hundreds of classes have been affected by this. I met representatives of GRETB. They said their hands are tied. They have to deal with pay increases. They cannot touch apprenticeship funding, which is the only pot that has increased. There is, therefore, nothing they can do.

The point I made earlier is that there is no cut to the GRETB budget. In fact, it has significantly increased this year from last year. It is also important to say that while ESOL provision has reverted to pre-2022 levels before the Ukraine war, when it was significantly expanded on a temporary basis, ESOL continues to be delivered nationally as part of core funding. It is not that we have stopped it; it is just that we have gone back to the pre-2022 levels. Of course, ETBs have to manage within the budgets that are allocated to them, but GRETB has an extra €4 million this year. As the Deputy said, while it may impact on Spanish students and otherwise, it is important to remember that this was a temporary expansion and it followed the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.

The reality is that it is a very significant cut within GRETB. Like I said, 25 classes are saying their hands are tied. I do not know if there has been engagement with GRETB on this. These cuts are cruel and they are impacting on marginalised students and staff who are about to become permanent. The Minister of State is shaking her head but, in fairness, there has been a significant cut to the budget in this area. GRETB has been very clear that it cannot move the funding around and that it has pay increases it has to meet. She might outline what engagement there has been with GRETB on this issue and if she would perhaps commit to meet with its representatives or with some of the teachers and students who have been affected by this. Every effort should be made to get these classes reinstated and get these staff back in place. I have been inundated with calls, texts and emails from people who are absolutely devastated by the outcome of this. That is the bottom line. I ask that the Minister of State do everything she can to get these classes reinstated.

I accept the Deputy's bona fides on this, and I hear what he says. However, I cannot emphasise often enough that there are no cuts here. There is an increase of €4 million in the budget. Each ETB has to decide how they spend their individual budgets, within certain parameters, obviously. ESOL programmes are simply going back to pre-2022 levels. We have seen similar tapering off of supports across other Departments. This was an emergency fund because of the Ukraine war and now, we are going back to where we were beforehand. I understand what the Deputy is saying to me, however. If he contacts me, I will get him as best an answer as I can. I cannot emphasise firmly enough, however, that it is up to individual ETBs. Each of them gets its funding. GRETB had a significant increase in funding and it is up to it how it spends that funding. I am, however, willing to speak to the Deputy about it to see if we can find any solutions.