Results 261-280 of 6,887 for speaker:James Lawless

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Legal Services (29 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: My Department has a Corporate Procurement Plan in place. Procurement processes cover all procurement within the Department, including external legal services. Each process and the use of any panels is on a case-by-case basis. All legal costs for my Department are included within the published Appropriation Accounts, under 6.1 within Vote 45. Please find the link below. The 2024 Accounts...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Legal Cases (29 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: My Department does not have a specific audit or review process for legal costs. This category would fall within the general scope of the audit process on the Department’s annual accounts both internally and by the Comptroller and Auditor General. I can confirm that all legal costs for my Department are included within the published Appropriation Accounts, under 6.1 within Vote 45....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Legal Services (29 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: My Department does not have a specific process for such activities. Legal cases are monitored by the relative section on a case-by-case basis and are covered by the Department's Corporate Procurement Plan. All legal costs for my Department are included within the published Appropriation Accounts, under 6.1 within Vote 45. Please find the link below. The 2024 Accounts are currently under...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Legal Cases (29 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: In general, decisions around fee arrangements and applicable rates are a matter for the Chief State Solicitor’s Office (CSSO) and when external legal services are procured, fees are agreed on a case-by-case basis. All legal costs for my Department are included within the published Appropriation Accounts, under 6.1 within Vote 45. Please find the link below. The 2024 Accounts are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Legal Cases (29 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: I can confirm that legal costs incurred by my Department did not exceed their initial or approved costs in the period referred to by the Deputy. All legal costs for my Department are included within the published Appropriation Accounts, under 6.1 within Vote 45. Please find the link below. The 2024 Accounts are currently under audit and will be published once the audit is complete. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: International Protection (29 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: By way of background, the 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs) throughout the country offer free English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) to help learners improve their English language abilities in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. The goal is to help them achieve functional language proficiency, fostering social cohesion and creating pathways to education, training,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (29 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: As the Deputy will be aware Carlow College, St. Patrick’s is a private higher education institution. Private higher education institutions, including Carlow College may be eligible to receive funding from the State for limited courses that are approved for funding under specific initiatives. These include the Free Fees Initiative, Apprenticeships and Springboard+. Under the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (29 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: In 2024, there were 7,113 registrations in craft apprentices. Of this cohort, as at 21 July 2025, 312 or 4% have a 'Left Trade Status'. It should be noted that apprentices with “Left Trade Status” may choose to rejoin programmes and finish their apprenticeship, or to transfer to another apprenticeship, or they may choose to “leave trade” after a period of pausing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (29 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: I propose to take Questions Nos. 3348, 3349, 3350, 3351, 3352, 3353, 3354, 3355, 3356 and 3357 together. The Government remains firmly committed to sustained investment in apprenticeship, recognising its vital role in building a skilled workforce and supporting economic and social development across all sectors. My department secured a significant investment in apprenticeship of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Medical Qualifications (29 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: The HPAT is independently administered by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) on behalf of the universities’ medical schools and RCSI. The selection criteria and process for admission to medical schools is a matter for those institutions in line with their statutory autonomy in relation to academic affairs. Neither I nor my Department have a role in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (29 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: I propose to take Questions Nos. 3359, 3360, 3361 and 3362 together. I would like to respond to these questions together and that the Deputy would note that the comparison outlined is between a full years spend in 2024 compared with a half years spend in 2025. Capital projects that involve Exchequer funding typically exhibit non-uniform expenditure patterns across financial years....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Contracts (29 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: In relation to the dates noted, I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has a contract in place with this company. The company is providing a light lunch catering service at an external conferencing facility. The contract, procured through a three quotes process, placed with the company was extended beyond the original terms. A formal procurement process is currently being prepared.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (29 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: Both the EU Digital Decade policy programme to 2030, and our national digital strategy Harnessing Digital commit to the development of digital skills for all cohorts, as well as to gender parity in STEM career paths. Additionally, digital skills are embedded as a core strategic priority in the National Skills Council’s inaugural publication and strategic advice to Government...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Gender Equality (29 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: I would like to thank the Deputy for her correspondence in relation to the programme for Government commitment made in January 2025 to implement the recommendations of the review of the Gender Equality Action Plan for Higher Education during this Government’s lifetime. In 2022, a second HEA Review of Gender Equality in Irish Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) was conducted. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ministerial Communications (29 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: Government business is transacted on departmental email addresses. Queries are forwarded from constituency / Oireachtas emails to the Department on occasion.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ministerial Communications (29 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: My Department provides a mobile phone and messaging services, which were installed on this phone by the Department's ICT Unit. I use this device in line with my Department's Mobile Phone Policy and OGCIO’s ICT Acceptable Usage Policy.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (29 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: In 2024, the new grade of adult educator was established, in agreement with SIPTU and TUI. This followed many years of work by my Department, with the Department of Education, the Department of Public Expenditure, Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI), and SIPTU and TUI. This grade was established in response to a claim by tutors and the subsequent Labour Court recommendation....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Visas (29 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: I can assure the Deputy that officials in my Department regularly engage with colleagues in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on issues associated with Palestinian students, including in relation to the granting of third level scholarships and visa requirements that arise in that context. As the Deputy will be aware, where an individual requires a visa to enter Ireland in any...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (29 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: I propose to take Questions Nos. 3370, 3371, 3372 and 3373 together. The provision of English language education in Ireland is a broad and diverse sector with the vast majority of activity undertaken by privately owned education providers. These providers recruit international students from both within and outside the EU. My Department does not collate data on the number of students...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (29 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: While no Government Department holds specific responsibility for education provision to those over 64 years of age, my Department maintains responsibility for lifelong learning policy, including for those over 64 years. EU statistical reporting typically focuses on the 16-64 age cohort for labour market purposes, but my Department promotes equity, inclusion, and lifelong learning without...