The community education sector needs multi-annual funding that covers all costs, including those relating to administration and management, governance, quality assurance, Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) engagement and validation, and new and improved buildings and facilities. There needs to be permanent contracts for all staff in further and community education, with pay increases.
We urge the Department to invest more in to enabling Education and Training Boards (ETBs) to address growing impacts of poverty on apprentices and learners in further education. The Department should increase financial supports and allowances for apprentices and learners in Further Education, in line with the real costs of living.
We call on the Department to make affordable childcare available to any learner who needs it, through a public childcare model with onsite childcare services in adult and community education centres and bigger childcare subsidies for a broader range of adult learners.
We sought more investment in public transport for adult learners to attend their courses and provide free public transport to all learners in further and higher education.
We will continue to speak on behalf of our members and the needs of the adult learning sector across Ireland. Read our pre-Budget Submission in full here.
