Results 41-60 of 5,044 for speaker:Patrick O'Donovan in 'Written Answers'

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (23 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Deputy will be aware that over the course of 2023, Galway Roscommon ETB (GRETB) were supported by SOLAS in developing their Preliminary Business Case (PBC) proposal for the construction of a new FET College of the Future on a site owned by GRETB adjacent to its Mervue Training facility. The development of a robust PBC is fundamental to the requirements of the Infrastructure Guidelines. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (23 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Section 7 of the Student Support Act 2011 outlines the position with regard to approved institutions for the purposes of the Student Grant Scheme. Ballyfermot College of Further Education is approved Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) centre which is managed and funded by City of Dublin ETB. As such, it is comprehended within Section 7(1)(d) of the Act as an “education institution in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (23 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: A national recruitment campaign was launched by the National Apprenticeship Office from November 2023 to support increased ETB apprenticeship delivery capacity and the plan to reduce the number of apprentices waiting overlong for phase 2 off-the-job training. To date, 134 instructor posts have been sanctioned by the Department, of which 77 have been advertised, and 58 posts filled....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (23 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: At the end of April 2024 there are 23,049 craft apprentices registered of which 2,278 were registered from January to April of this year. There are 297 craft apprentices employed by the ESB (all divisions). There are 6 craft apprentices employed by Bord na Mona (all divisions).

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (23 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Greater adoption of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), an umbrella term for a range of innovative construction processes, is a key pillar of the Government’s approach to increasing innovation and achieving productivity gains in the delivery of housing. MMC will promote the diversity of career opportunities in the sector, including new and emerging careers, while the greater...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (23 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: My Department has, over the past number of Budgets, made significant improvements to the student grant scheme benefitting thousands of students. In advance of Budget 2025 this autumn, I will be publishing an options paper which will set out various possible measures to address the cost of education. I am doing this in order to facilitate public discussion on the choices available to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (23 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 294 to 296, inclusive, 298 and 302 together. My Department’s approach is centred on bringing together all facets of the Tertiary system - further and higher education and research - to respond to the skills needs of today and well into the future. The work we did in partnership with the OECD to review our skills system, and the results of that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Bullying in Educational Institutions (23 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Deputy will be aware that there are a number of Programme for Government (PfG) commitments aimed at addressing bullying, including a commitment to commission surveys of staff and students in the areas of harassment, sexual harassment, and bullying in higher education. These surveys have now taken place and the findings published. Our higher education institutions have a duty of care...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Costs (23 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I am very much aware that the rising cost of living is impacting students, and my Department has ensured that measures to support students have formed a core part of the Government's overall response to cost of living issues. In respect of Higher Education Costs, for the majority of students, Budget 2023 and Budget 2024 has had the effect of reducing the cost of higher education. For...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (23 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Since the establishment of my Department in June 2020, a key objective has been the continuing enhancement of quality education provision at third level. My Department has worked to drive performance & governance reform and improved outcomes as we work towards creating a world-class tertiary education system that is accessible, adaptable and aligned with the evolving needs of society....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (23 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Apprenticeship By the end of May this year there will be 75 national apprenticeships available, between NFQ levels 5 and 10. This is up from 53 national programmes in 2019, representing a very big increase in choice for learners and employers alike. Adding to 25 traditional craft programmes, consortia-led apprenticeships were developed from 2016 onwards to which respond to emerging...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Measures (23 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I have been engaging with Minister O’Brien and our officials on the decision of some private student accommodation providers to move to 51-week leases from the traditional leases which reflected the academic year. I recognise that while there may be a market for 51-week leases among some members of the student population, it is not desirable for the vast majority of third level...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (23 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: A craft apprenticeship takes 48 months to complete. This is based on progression through off-the-job training phases within training capacity and does not reflect delays due to deferring training, assessment delays or other individual circumstances. Currently, two craft apprenticeships out of 25 total craft programmes have completion times significantly over 48 months, and those are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (22 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 205 and 206 together. A national recruitment campaign for craft apprenticeship instructors was launched by the National Apprenticeship Office in Q4 2023, with an aim to support delivery and increased capacity of phase 2 off-the-job training in ETBs. To date, 77 posts have been advertised and 58 posts filled. Further posts will be advertised as capital...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (22 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: I am committed to enhancing pathways for people after secondary school, and the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 aims to make apprenticeship visible and a valued option by learners. A central goal is to improve information to school leavers so they have access to the same level of information about apprenticeship options as those in higher education. Progress to date includes...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (22 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: In April 2024, the Government committed €100m to progress over 1,000 new student beds. This allocation enables the activation of Phase 1 of UCD’s stalled student project for delivery of 493 student beds for delivery in 2027/28. It also provides the funding for the previously activated projects with Maynooth University to progress to onsite construction for delivery of 116...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (22 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The Student Assistance Fund is managed by the Higher Education Authority on behalf of my Department. The HEA allocates funding based on the academic year to each of the universities, Institutes of Technology, the Colleges of Education and a number of other higher education bodies. The core allocation for the SAF is €9.1 million per annum and increases were secured for this academic...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Pay (22 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: Apprenticeship delivery staff employed by Education and Training Boards and Technological Universities are public sector staff. The applicable pay rates and general terms and conditions of employment for staff across the public sector are determined by national pay agreements negotiated between Government and the ICTU Public Services Committee. Any changes to terms and conditions can occur...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (22 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: A pilot part time grant scheme will be introduced effective from September 2024. It will provide fee support to eligible part-time students attending specified publicly funded undergraduate courses leading to a major award. This is an important new initiative which will open the doors of higher education to many groups who cannot participate in full time programmes. The parameters of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (22 May 2024)

Patrick O'Donovan: The cybersecurity associate level 6 apprenticeship was first offered by Dublin-Dun-Laoghaire Education Training Board (DDLETB) in 2023. The table below sets out the number instructors employed by DDLETB for this programme in the requested years of 2022, 2023 and to-date in 2024. Cyber Security Associate NFQ Level 6 2022 2023 2024 Programme...