4074. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the amount allocated to Skillnet Ireland in each of the years 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026; the accumulated surplus in the National Training Fund at the end of each of those years, in tabular form; the amount allocated in each of those years to networks serving the independent broadcasting sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62056/26]

My Department allocates funding to Skillnet Ireland to support the competitiveness, productivity, and innovation of Irish businesses through enterprise-led workforce development.

The table below sets out the funding allocated by my Department to Skillnet Ireland in each of the years from 2023 to 2026, together with the accumulated surplus on the National Training Fund (NTF) at the end of each year:

* As per Draft 2025 NTF Annual Accounts currently being audited by the C&AG

Deputy, as set out in the Revised Estimates for Public Services 2026, income to the NTF is forecast at €1.326 billion, while expenditure is forecast at €1.153 billion. These forecasts indicate an annual surplus of almost €173 million in 2026 and an accumulated surplus of approximately €2.2 billion. It is important to note, however, that these figures are estimates.

Deputy, it is important to recognise that while NTF funding and Exchequer Vote funding are distinct funding streams, they are treated as a single expenditure envelope for my Department for budgetary and Government accounting purposes. As it currently stands, any increase in NTF-funded expenditure must be accommodated within my Department's expenditure ceiling and the overall government expenditure ceiling. In practical terms, this means that additional NTF expenditure would require a corresponding reduction in my Department’s Exchequer-funded expenditure.

In relation to the NTF surplus, I am actively engaging with colleagues across Government, including the Minister for Finance whom I met in June, to discuss the issue of expenditure ceilings that affect the rate at which NTF resources can be deployed. I am keen to make progress on this matter; however, the level of expenditure that can be drawn down is ultimately a matter for Government agreed through the overall fiscal and budgetary framework and it is not determined by my Department alone. Accordingly, while the NTF has a significant accumulated surplus, the existence of that surplus does not provide my Department with additional spending capacity or access to additional funding outside of the agreed fiscal and budgetary framework.

It should also be noted that maintaining a prudent reserve, for example an amount equivalent to approximately one year's NTF expenditure, can play an important role in safeguarding against economic and fiscal uncertainty. Such a reserve helps to ensure that sufficient resources are available to sustain education, training and skills programmes during periods of reduced income or increased demand and supports the continuity of programme delivery over the economic cycle.

For the Deputy’s information, my Department lays the NTF audited financial statement before the Houses of the Oireachtas in line with the section 2 (14) of the NTF Act, 2000.

In relation to the funding allocation for Skillnet Ireland, temporary funding was provided in 2023 to support a number of targeted and time-bound initiatives, including Clear Customs, Brexit preparedness measures and Covid-19 response programmes. These interventions were established to assist businesses in responding to periods of significant economic and operational disruption. In 2024, Skillnet Ireland received €10 million in temporary funding under the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) Employment, Inclusion, Skills and Training (EIST) Programme. This funding was subsequently baselined in 2025. In 2025 and 2026, Skillnet Ireland received temporary allocations of €11.475 million and €2.7 million, respectively, under the NTF Surplus Package announced in Budget 2025. As these allocations are temporary measures provided to support specific Government and Ministerial priorities, they are not included in Skillnet Ireland's core funding base. The ring-fenced NTF Surplus Skills Package (separate to core NTF expenditure) provides flexibility to fund targeted interventions in response to emerging skills needs and strategic priorities.

While my Department allocates funding to Skillnet Ireland, responsibility for determining the allocation of funding to individual Skillnet Networks rests with the Board of Skillnet Ireland. Allocations are made in response to funding applications from individual networks and are determined having regard to the available budget, strategic priorities and the anticipated impact of proposed activities.

Skillnet Ireland has advised my officials that Learning Waves Skillnet and Gréasan na Meán Skillnet offer a range of tailored programmes for media and broadcasting organisations. Learning Waves Skillnet supports the independent radio sector through subsidised training and development programmes. It focuses on building workforce capability in areas such as digital and AI skills, leadership, and business growth. Gréasán na Meán Skillnet supports media businesses through subsidised training, primarily delivered through Irish. It focuses on strengthening the indigenous media sector through programmes in digital and AI skills, creative entrepreneurship, and screenwriting.

Skillnet Ireland provided my officials with the information sought by the Deputy in respect to its funding allocation to the networks supporting the independent broadcasting sector for the years 2023 – 2026. These figures, set out in the table below exclude contributions from participating businesses in these networks under Skillnet Ireland's co-funding model.

It should be noted that, in 2023, that both networks received temporary funding to support Brexit preparedness measures. BAR was a temporary EU instrument established to assist Member States in addressing the economic and social impacts of the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union. As a time-limited measure, BAR funding was not available in 2024 and 2025.

Skillnet Ireland also provided information on the number of trainees who participated in training programmes between 2023 and 2025, as detailed below.

Deputy, you may be interested to know that in addition to supports provided by Skillnet Ireland, Education and Training Boards (ETBs) provide a range of further education and training opportunities relevant to the broadcasting and media sector. Current provision includes programmes in journalism, media studies, radio and podcast production, media and broadcasting, film and television production, digital media production, and broadcast production skills. These programmes are delivered across a number of ETB locations, including Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Kerry.