Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have one or two other questions. On ETBs, there were different things mentioned here around the apprenticeship programme.

We spoke briefly about the increase. The Department is going over its targets. It is over its target as well in terms of women it is trying to target on to the different programmes on the apprenticeship side. I will talk about the role of ETBs here. In particular, I am looking at this from a Roscommon-Galway perspective. In our new constituency of Roscommon-Galway, we do not have a third level campus. Previously, we had Mountbellew, which was the third level campus integrated with the technological universities, TUs, and with the Atlantic Technological University. Now, within that constituency of Roscommon-Galway we do not have a third level training centre. My question here would be about a demand around apprenticeship training, particularly for the Roscommon area. I know that is hopefully being considered at the moment within the Department. Ms Miley might speak a little bit about the increase in apprenticeships and women.

Second, with regard to the senior academic leadership initiative, SALI, the Department is going over and above its targets in terms of women on the apprenticeship programme. The SALI is looking at targeting women into senior academic roles. Someone might talk to me about that because that is not currently reaching its targets. Targets for that seem to be higher. There were approximately 45 posts in 2022 and the figure currently stands at 31. I do not know whether these are new people coming in each year. Ms Miley might clarify that.

Third, she might address women on research teams and that programme C update. I was not sure whether that meant by each research team. Again, I know it was a target of SFI, of course, for 35%. I understand that it is more challenging in the STEM areas compared with humanities. Ms Miley might speak a little bit around the gender balance.