Results 201-220 of 6,386 for speaker:James Lawless

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (10 Jun 2025)

James Lawless: In order to become an apprentice, individuals must secure employment with a SOLAS-approved employer, a list of which is available at . The employer must then register the apprentice with their local Education and Training Board within two weeks of the apprentice commencing employment. The number of Commis Chef apprentices who commenced training in 2024 and 2025 as well as the Commis Chef...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (10 Jun 2025)

James Lawless: SOLAS continue to support Kerry ETB in the development of its Preliminary Business Case (PBC) proposal for Killarney under the FET College of the Future Major Projects fund. The proposal is one of twelve projects that are currently being progressed under this fund. It is envisaged that the remaining projects at PBC stage under this programme call will be assessed this year and that those...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Correspondence (10 Jun 2025)

James Lawless: In general, for student grant purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances either as students dependent on parents or a legal guardian, or as independent mature students. A student may be assessed as an independent student (i.e. assessed without reference to parental income and address) if they have attained the age of 23 on the 1st of January of the year of first...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (10 Jun 2025)

James Lawless: Youthreach is designed to offer second-chance education to young people who are aged 16 to 20 and have either left school early or are at risk of not completing their formal education. It is designed to provide a more flexible, supportive, and alternative learning environment compared to post-primary schools, helping participants to gain qualifications and skills that will support their...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (10 Jun 2025)

James Lawless: My officials are looking into this matter for the Deputy and I will follow up with him directly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Research Funding (10 Jun 2025)

James Lawless: I wish to assure the Deputy that there is no distinction made in terms of location or discipline in relation to Research Ireland competitive funding awards. The criteria for assessment are clearly laid out in the documentation which accompanies these calls and the excellence and quality of the proposal, as well as the proposed impact, are the core criteria. I share the Deputy's wish to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (10 Jun 2025)

James Lawless: A table outlining the programmes offered in these areas is attached. With regard to the number of students who selected particular programmes such as psychology, dietetics, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, physiotherapy, and social work as their first preference on the CAO system, I must advise that neither I nor my Department has access to programme-level CAO application...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (10 Jun 2025)

James Lawless: In general for student grant purposes students are categorised according to their circumstances either as students dependent on their parent(s) or legal guardian(s), or as independent mature students. In examining changes to eligibility criteria for the scheme I have to consider how a change might impact on a particular cohort when compared against the impact of a wide range of other...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (10 Jun 2025)

James Lawless: A new funding Call for Proposals for Springboard+ 2025 was run earlier this year and I approved the list of selected courses for funding. The 2025 courses were officially launched on 27th May. Springboard+ funded courses are selected as part of a rigorous competitive process. The courses chosen for funding as part of this process are in areas where there are identified skills shortages and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Meetings (10 Jun 2025)

James Lawless: I formally met with the President of UCD, Professor Orla Feely on 13/02/2025. This meeting formed part of my ongoing engagement with higher education institutions to discuss shared priorities and strengthen collaboration across the sector.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Youth Services (10 Jun 2025)

James Lawless: The Youthreach programme is of great importance to my Department as it provides early school leavers with the knowledge, skills and confidence required to participate fully in society and progress to further education, training and employment. As the state agency responsible for the FET sector, SOLAS allocates funding to 16 Education and Training Boards and other agencies to deliver FET...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Meetings (10 Jun 2025)

James Lawless: I formally met with Provost Linda Doyle during a visit to Trinity College Dublin on Tuesday, 11th February 2025. This meeting formed part of my ongoing engagement with higher education institutions to discuss shared priorities and strengthen collaboration across the sector.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Policies (10 Jun 2025)

James Lawless: Graduate Entry Medicine (GEM) is a pathway for degree holders who want to pursue a medical career on an accelerated four-year programme. Students pursuing GEM programmes do so as second degree courses and consequently are not eligible for free fees funding. They are also not eligible for funding under the Student Grant Scheme as they do not meet the progression criteria of the Scheme. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (10 Jun 2025)

James Lawless: SOLAS is the state agency responsible for the further education and training sector and allocates funding to ETBs to deliver apprenticeship programmes. My department has no role in the operational day-to-day running of Education and Training Boards (ETBs). SOLAS are currently engaging with all ETBs on their 2025 apprenticeship funding and I am aware that through this process funding...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (10 Jun 2025)

James Lawless: I intend to bring the new student accommodation Strategy 2025- 2035 to Government later this year.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (10 Jun 2025)

James Lawless: Mental health and wellbeing of our third-level students is an ongoing priority for this Government and my Department and I remain committed to enhancing mental health supports across the sector. Generally speaking, a grant will not be paid to a student for a repeat period of study on the same course, or for a different course at the same level, irrespective of whether or not a grant was...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (10 Jun 2025)

James Lawless: An official from my Department has advised that the student referred to by the Deputy applied to the awarding authority, SUSI for grant funding and was refused on the basis of a repeat period of study and the requirement to complete an equivalent period of study, before being eligible to be considered for grant funding. SUSI received an appeal from the applicant in relation to the original...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Health Services Staff (29 May 2025)

James Lawless: My Department and I are committed to expanding the number of places available on Medicine Programmes in a sustainable way in collaboration with my cabinet colleague Minister Carroll MacNeill and her officials in the Department of Health. In July 2022 an agreement was announced to increase the number of annual intake places available for Irish and EU students by 200. This increase has been...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (29 May 2025)

James Lawless: I am acutely conscious of the financial challenges facing students and the need for the progressive implementation of measures to address costs as a barrier to education. I am committed to easing this burden for students and their families in a financially sustainable way. Almost all full-time undergraduate students have their tuition fees paid in full by the State through the Free Fees...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (29 May 2025)

James Lawless: The Deputy will be aware that Graduate Entry Medicine (GEM) is a pathway for degree holders who want to pursue a medical career on an accelerated four-year programme. Students pursuing GEM programmes do so as second degree courses and consequently are not eligible for funding under the Free Fees Initiative. They are also not eligible for funding under the Student Grant Scheme as they do not...