Building work and new high tech equipment are to be part of a €42m investment just announced for higher education centres.

The Tánaiste, Mary Coughlan has said that that seven universities and 15 Institutes of Technology will benefit from the funding to allow "small-scale building works and high tech upgrades".

According to the Department of Education and Skills the devolved grant scheme will "enable higher education institutions undertake a wide range of necessary improvement, refurbishment and health & safety works".

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Additionally, the scheme allows for the funding for a wide range of equipment renewal and the provision of energy conservation measures.

Each institution will get a basic allocation of €68,500 per campus plus €320 per full-time student.

Announcing the funding and modest boost for the belaugured construction sector, the Education Minister Mary Coughlan remarked on the efforts of the higher education sector to deal with increased numbers of students.

"The higher education sector has stretched itself significantly to accommodate the recent unprecedented increase in the student population.

"This has been achieved largely on the strength of highly efficient space utilisation.

"The extension of the scheme to the universities in 2009 and their continued inclusion in the 2010 scheme is therefore a timely and welcome contribution towards meeting the increased demands on facilities.

"By devolving the funding, the institutions can manage their own projects and target funding where it is needed most," she said.

(BMcC/GK)