Budget 2025: Education and Training Boards call for funding to tackle inequalities
Eva Osborne
Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI) is calling for Budget 2025 to focus on tackling inequalities in the education sector.
In June, the representative body of 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs) nationwide unveiled its four priorities for the ETB sector.
These are:
- Increase the number and profile of Community National Schools nationwide;
- Increase the Deputy Principal allocation in ETB post-primary schools with DEIS designation;
- Increase funding for Further Education and Training (FET) so that funds reflect the proportion of learners, and ring-fence €600 million in funding for the FET Colleges of the Future project, due to commence in 2028;
- Restore funding for youth work to pre-austerity levels and ensure pay parity for youth workers.
ETBI general secretary, Paddy Lavelle, said: “Earlier this summer, we laid out our priorities for the sector and identified the investment needed by Government to ensure that learners of all ages and backgrounds will continue to have access to a high standard of education.
"Any investment in the sector must be geared towards building an education system that is sustainable for the future.
“The 16 ETBs across Ireland provide education and training opportunities for over 450,000 people, offering excellent, equality-based, inclusive educational opportunities to learners of all ages."
Lavelle said ETBI is calling on the Government to commit to supporting its work and "putting the learners’ needs first".
"Tomorrow’s Budget is an opportunity for the Government to ensure that learners from primary education right through to Further Education and Training have access to high quality education and training opportunities.”
