Results 5,781-5,800 of 7,061 for speaker:Rose Conway-Walsh

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Reopening of Further and Higher Education Institutions: Discussion (22 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: That is what we all want to achieve. I am trying to get into the mindset of a second-year law student who is at home now wondering if he or she will be on campus half, three quarters or full time. That has knock-on effects on accommodation and other issues for students. There is significant pressure because of accommodation and the housing situation, especially in Dublin, with students now...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Reopening of Further and Higher Education Institutions: Discussion (22 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: What about English language students who are here now?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Reopening of Further and Higher Education Institutions: Discussion (22 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: Most of them are unvaccinated. My concern is that there is this variant and the numbers are increasing exponentially. There are 10,000 mostly unvaccinated students. Will the Minister maybe contradict me on that or provide some information?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Reopening of Further and Higher Education Institutions: Discussion (22 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: Good. I do not want to leave out the Minister of State, Deputy Collins. He said there were more than 10,000 apprenticeships on the waiting list when we last spoke in July. I have received figures from his Department indicating the number was 13,440 at the end of June. That is a significant increase. It means that something like 67% of apprenticeships are waiting for off-site training. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: General Scheme of the Higher Education Authority Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: I thank the witnesses for the presentations. This is a really important session today. Will there be trade union representation on any governing authority, either the HEA or the Department? Perhaps the witnesses can answer that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: General Scheme of the Higher Education Authority Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: Why is the trade union not mentioned in it? Is there a reason for that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: General Scheme of the Higher Education Authority Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: Why? Is there a reason for that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: General Scheme of the Higher Education Authority Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: Unions will be represented, however.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: General Scheme of the Higher Education Authority Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: It is important to make that clear because I know that is causing concern. If we can take as many of those things off the table as we can then we are likely to end up with a better Bill. One of the general functions of the Bill is to "secure and evidence value-for-money from Exchequer investment in higher education". Deciding on what is and what is not value for money is often difficult...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: General Scheme of the Higher Education Authority Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: That is why I have great concerns that the Mayo campus of the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, GMIT, will not be represented. Is that right?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: General Scheme of the Higher Education Authority Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: It is, for sure, an opportunity, but at the same time I am concerned that after this there would not be representation from the Mayo campus to understand the unique position, the challenges and opportunities for the county.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: General Scheme of the Higher Education Authority Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: It is really important we have representation from the Mayo campus of the GMIT. In the opening statement, it was indicated that one of the reasons for the legislation is the increasing number of private colleges. What oversight and governance would the Department and the Higher Education Authority have over private colleges. Will they be able to apply quotas on places as they do with some...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: General Scheme of the Higher Education Authority Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: I do not agree with that at all. I cannot quite understand-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: General Scheme of the Higher Education Authority Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: This is a very interesting scenario and I have been tracking nursing places and the need, because of the pandemic, for additional medicine and nursing places across the board. I have seen places in private colleges and they are charging way more. Why are we not investing in public places rather than allowing them to be privatised and to charge multiples of what it would be if a student was...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: General Scheme of the Higher Education Authority Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: Does Mr. Conlon wish to speak to that? Is there anything in the Bill that would stop this from happening and where we could have a public system rather than privatising places? I get what the witnesses have said around the governance but when something is privatised, these institutions can charge whatever they like.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: General Scheme of the Higher Education Authority Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: I disagree with that but we could have a conversation about that on another day. It is the wrong way to go. How will drastically reducing the size of governing bodies increase competence and effectiveness in the operation of the boards? It is my understanding that the workload on board members is currently substantial. How will having the same workload and more spread across fewer people...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: General Scheme of the Higher Education Authority Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: I welcome the staff and student representation. This Bill sets out to replace one of the five general functions of the HEA which are set out in the Higher Education Authority Act 1971, which is promoting the democratisation of the structure of higher education. Why is this role not included in the 16 general functions in the Bill? Would it be fair to say that the new legislation will make...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: General Scheme of the Higher Education Authority Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: This is a very useful session. I want to frame this in a way that we want this legislation to do what it needs to do. We welcome it but we need to work together and we need collaboration and inclusiveness to address what we need to address. We need joined up thinking. Mr. Conlon referred to access. Basically, we all want equality of access. Consider situations such as the student...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: General Scheme of the Higher Education Authority Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: When does Ms Kenny see this process being completed? Will that be within one month or so?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: General Scheme of the Higher Education Authority Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Jul 2021)

Rose Conway-Walsh: I thank Ms Kenny.