The Government has announced the establishment of a £250 million Education Technology Investment Fund to help educational institutions deal with computer, electronics and other skills shortages over the next three years. It is believed to be the largest single investment in technological education since the foundation of the State.
Launching the fund in Dublin Castle yesterday, the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, said the initiative was "a vote of confidence in the Internet generation in Ireland. By investing now, we can build a new wave of creativity, employment and prosperity on the back of the new technologies."
The Minister for Education, Mr Martin, outlined the three key aims of the fund: modernising the infrastructure of third-level institutions, particularly in the technological sector; developing new areas of study to deal with hightechnology skills shortages; and promoting the innovation requi red to maintain and expand economic growth.
It is expected that at least 7,000 new third-level college places at degree and technician level will be created.
The £250 million will be allocated to capital programmes in education over the next three years: £100 million next year and £150 million in 1999-2000.
The fund will be established by legislation, to be published before Christmas. It will be managed by the National Treasury Management Agency and will be open to donations from the private sector.
The fund's largest allocation, of £80 million, will go to the Regional Technical Colleges and the Dublin, Waterford and Cork Institutes of Technology - the socalled technological sector - to develop their often outdated buildings and equipment.
Mr Martin is known to be very concerned about the poor facilities of many RTCs and is determined that the sector, which provides a range of vital technicians for industry, should receive a very large injection of capital.
£60 million will go to providing places at degree and technician level in third-level colleges for computer software courses. The Department of Education has already made £5 million available for additional software places at degree and technician level in the current academic year.
Another £20 million in capital investment will go towards increasing the number of Post-Leaving Certificate courses in the VEC sector and elsewhere, and the number of apprentices. The demand for tradespeople caused by the economic boom has meant a shortage of training places in the electrical, plumbing, carpentry and other trades.
The long-standing demand of the universities and technological colleges for a major equipment renewal programme has been met with a pledge of £30 million.
Another demand, particularly from the universities, has been for an increase in the tiny sums allocated to advanced research and innovation.
Mr Martin said it was "crucial" that such research and innovation be supported to help Irish firms "stay at the cutting edge of their industries" and to assist "the transfer into industry of technologies developed in educational institutions." The fund will allocate £15 million for this area.
Another £20 million will go to the accommodation and equipment needs of CERT and other bodies training people for the hotel and tourism sector. The Government has been extremely concerned at the skills shortages emerging here, particularly in catering.
Finally, there will be £25 million in capital for the introduction of information technology into schools. This will be announced by the Taoiseach and the Minister for Education towards the end of this month.
Mr Martin said this programme would contain "a balance between capital investment and investment in the training and support of teachers."
The Tanaiste, Ms Harney, announced at yesterday's launch that she had already discussed the Education Technology Investment Fund with several major multinational and Irish companies and was "satisfied that there will be quite substantial donations from the private sector."
Ms Harney, who is also Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, also announced a Joint Business/Education Partnership Forum, to be chaired by Mr Martin and herself, and an Expert Group on Future Skills, to be chaired by Mr Chris Horn, head of one of Ireland's most successful software companies, Iona Technologies.
These will monitor and forecast continuing and emerging skills shortages.
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