Donegal Minister of State Joe McHugh has announced €3M in funding for the LYIT Killybegs Tourism College.
This funding, of which €750,000 will be rolled out annually, will be to assist the Donegal Tourism and Educational development.
Minister McHugh was able to make this announcement following confirmation this afternoon by his colleague, Minister for Education and Skills Richard Bruton TD.
Minister McHugh, “I am delighted to be able to deliver again for Donegal. The Tourism Industry is going from strength to strength here in the County, with some of Donegal’s best known hotels having closed and since re-opened in recent years, now employing hundreds of people, with the Shandon Hotel and Ostán na Rosann, now the Waterfront Hotel, as two examples.”
The School of Tourism, LYIT located in Killybegs since 1969 on the Wild Atlantic Way is well positioned to respond effectively to meet the education and training requirements on a local, regional and national basis, while also targeting international students, in addressing the current and future skills shortfall.
“The Killybegs campus in the South West Donegal area is vital in continuing to regenerate this region, and has a pivotal role to play in the economic development for the County.
“I was delighted to inform Mr. Paul Hannigan, President of LYIT, of this fantastic news, earlier this morning, and I believe this investment will be a massive benefit to the Killybegs town itself, the South West Region, and indeed the entire County.
“I wish to thank Minister Richard Bruton for releasing this funding which will undoubtedly assist in enabling the Tourism College to develop and strengthen over the coming years, enabling them to continue working and building on new and existing initiatives.”