"I am so delighted to be in Kilkenny today to confirm that KCETB is moving to the next stage in the process of delivering a further education and training campus that the entire region can be proud of.

"Today we are signing for the purchase of a 15 acre site and I’m incredibly excited to see it become a campus that will deliver so much for the learners, staff and community of Kilkenny Carlow ETB.

"Back in 2022, my predecessor Simon Harris announced that Kilkenny had been chosen as one of the locations to develop a further education and training College of the Future.

"And this week we are travelling to a number of different counties to share more good news, but today is all about KCETB where we are finally, through this fantastic site purchase and the approval for them to move to the next stage of development, bringing to fruition the ambitions of creating a state of the art facility that will benefit present learners and future generations.

"It is not ideal that FET provision in Kilkenny has been scattered around 14 different locations in the city. Now provision will be brought together at one modern, high-spec facility where learners will have the opportunity to progress in the best possible facilities.

"This is what we mean about when we speak about driving parity of esteem across the tertiary sector – it shouldn’t matter where you live, what you are studying, or whether you are in FET or university. Everyone should have the same opportunity to reach their potential."

"The proposed project by KCETB is to construct a new integrated Further Education and Training College of the Future on the newly purchased site at Joinersfolly which will address critical needs, including providing a state-of-the-art education and training facility.

"The project will consolidate existing provision, incorporate new training programmes and specialisms, and develop support services at one location with convenient transport access and services."

"Today’s announcement is wonderful news for KCETB and, in particular today for Kilkenny city and county and marks an important step forward in the delivery of the college campus.

"The proposed new integrated FET college has been a key strategic priority for KCETB and will transform the learning opportunities available across our communities. It will provide for the future skills needs of local industries and create a talent pipeline of graduates available to live and work in Kilkenny.

"Today’s announcement is a real vote of confidence in the area. It will ensure that Kilkenny with this new campus can provide a growing range of specialist courses and apprenticeships which will have long lasting benefits for the KCETB area."

"Today’s capital infrastructure announcement for Kilkenny College of FET is a milestone moment for FET in the South-East that will drive access to education, lifelong learning and workforce transformation in the region.

"This is a proud day for both SOLAS and Kilkenny and Carlow ETB, and most importantly, it’s an exciting day for all of the current and future FET learners in the Kilkenny and Carlow locality.

"With one in ten adults in Ireland now learning through FET or apprenticeships, the ongoing development of high-quality college environments in key locations such as Kilkenny will play a critical role in meeting the increasing demand for upskilling across our communities."