Carberry welcomes increase in Erasmus+ programme funding

Midlands North-West MEP, Nina Carberry, has welcomed a European Parliament vote backing a ‘historic’ expansion of the Erasmus+ programme, with plans to nearly double its budget to €47.4 billion for 2028-2034.

Erasmus+ is the European Union's official funding programme to support education, training, youth, and sport across Europe.

Carberry, Ireland's only MEP on the Parliament's Education, Youth & Sport Committee, helped shape the legislation, tabling amendments to recognise geographical disadvantage, improve access for young people in rural areas and support more apprentices.

The vote comes as recent figures from Léargas show that projects registered across Offaly and the Midlands region received over €1.2 million in Erasmus+ funding in 2025. Funding recipients include Offaly ETB and Ard Scoil Chiaráin in Clara.

The MEP said the vote opens up "one of the EU's most successful programmes" to even more young people and communities.

“Erasmus isn’t just about university students travelling abroad, it is for primary and secondary schools, ETBs and sports clubs up and down the country.

“With a massive increase in funding due to kick in from 2028, I want to encourage as many education institutions and communities as possible to get ready to take advantage of these new opportunities.

“From developing new language skills to providing training opportunities and work placements abroad in fields ranging from hospitality to engineering, this programme is opening up new career pathways and exciting opportunities," MEP Carberry said.