Ministers O’Donovan and Collins announce funding of over €8 million to improve energy efficiency and decarbonisation across FET
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From: Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
- Published on: 11 October 2024
- Last updated on: 10 October 2024
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Patrick O’Donovan TD and Minister of State for Skills and Further Education Niall Collins TD have announced funding of more than €8 million to improve energy efficiency and deliver on climate targets in the further education and training sector.
The Green Devolved Capital Grant will be distributed to the 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs) to assist them to hit their targets for 2030 as set out in the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate.
The ETBs can use the funding of €8,047,500 to improve operational sustainability in their owned buildings as they move towards low energy usage, high energy efficiency, and a low carbon impact building stock.
Speaking today, Minister O’Donovan said:
“We all have a part to play in addressing the climate crisis and it is vital that Government leads from the front in tackling this major societal issue.
“However, it is unfair of us to demand something from our FET sector without giving them the means to make our goals a reality.
“That’s why I’m thrilled today to announce this important funding stream to the ETBs for 2024, and to also confirm that funding of the same level will be provided for the next two years.
“This allows ETBs to plan a phased delivery of the measures required to support energy reduction and decarbonisation requirements in the FET sector.
“The Green Devolved Capital Grant will be pivotal for the ETBs in closing the gap to achieve the target.”
Minister Collins said:
“The FET sector has proven time and again, over what has been a challenging few years, that it knows how to be flexible and that it can adapt quickly.
“We know the valuable, central and inspirational leadership role it plays within its communities.
“That’s why I am confident that the ETBs will maximise the effects this funding can have across their FET estates as they encourage both learners and staff to adopt the behavioural changes we all need to grasp in order to support energy reduction and reduce our carbon footprint.”
NOTES
SOLAS will distribute the Green Devolved Capital Grant of just over €8 million to the individual ETBs. The rate for each ETB is set out in the following table. The devolved funding bands reflect the overall scale of each ETB and are based on overall funding allocations.
2024 Green Devolved Capital Grant
| ETB | Maximum Capital Value for each ETB | Total Funding 2024 |
| Cavan Monaghan ETB (CMETB) Donegal ETB (DETB) Kilkenny & Carlow ETB (KCETB) Laois & Offaly ETB (LOETB) Longford & Westmeath ETB (LWETB) Tipperary ETB (TETB) | €435,000 | €2,610,000 |
| Galway & Roscommon ETB (GRETB) Kerry ETB (KETB) Kildare & Wicklow ETB (KWETB) Louth & Meath ETB (LMETB) Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim ETB (MSLETB) | €507,500 | €2,537,500 |
| City of Dublin ETB (CDETB) Cork ETB (CETB) Dublin & Dun Laoghaire ETB (DDLETB) Limerick & Clare ETB (LCETB) Waterford and Wexford ETB (WWETB) | €580,000 | €2,900,000 |
| Total 2024 Devolved Capital Allocation | €8,047,500 |