Over €100k for educationally disadvantaged learners in Louth

Over €100k in funding has been announced for educationally disadvantaged learners in Louth. 

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD and Minister of State with special responsibility for Further Education, Apprenticeship, Construction and Climate Skills Marian Harkin TD have today announced over €4.5 million in funding to support over 100,000 educationally disadvantaged learners across Ireland. 

Over 700 local community education groups will benefit from the Reach Fund to support learners’ personal development and build skills while offering educational options through simplified pathways, creating further opportunities to progress to other areas of Further Education and Training (FET)) and beyond.    

€108k for the 2025 Reach Fund was allocated by SOLAS, and it will be administered through Louth Meath Education and Training Boards (ETBs).

Announcing the funding today, Minister Lawless said: “Over the past five years Reach funding has provided vital support for communities across Ireland. Originally introduced in 2020 to support the most disadvantaged learners throughout the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, this funding stream continues to play a pivotal role in supporting ETBs and community education providers to increase their capacity, ensuring that they can support the participation of disadvantaged learners within their communities. 

“Reach funding has helped to tackle inequalities and support access to community education, whilst also addressing important topics such as climate justice education, education for sustainable development, and building climate literacy. Through this funding we remain committed to promoting access, collaboration and innovation in community education."

Minister Harkin said: “In recent years, we have prioritised investment in community education, which has been bolstered by Reach funding. This has led to huge growth in the demand for services with learner numbers expanding rapidly across the country. 

“Community education is at the heart of FET and it not only benefits learners and communities but also plays an important role in supporting a democratic society. It is now more important than ever that we recognise community education for its ability to foster social cohesion and active citizenship, and that we continue to support those learners who need it most.” 

Key target groups for Reach funding include the long-term unemployed; learners under 25 years of age; people with disabilities; and migrants and refugees. Other priority groups include lone parents; members of the Traveller and Roma communities; early school leavers; and people impacted by homelessness. 

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Also commenting on the announcement, Interim CEO of SOLAS, Nessa White said: “Community education is a critical driver of access to education and as such plays a unique role in the FET system, and in local communities across Ireland. It offers local, accessible, and welcoming learning opportunities for individuals which can support them to achieve their personal, social, and educational goals. We are delighted to continue to allocate Reach funding in 2025 to support those learners who need it the most.  

“Since 2020, thousands of learners have been supported through Reach funding and demand is growing year on year. It’s brilliant to see such huge vibrancy in the community education provision across FET, this is testament to the incredible work that is happening at local level by ETBs and community partners as they remain committed to tackling barriers that prevent learners from accessing education and support them to re-engage and participate with local provision.”