Results 41-60 of 6,887 for speaker:James Lawless

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Education and Training Provision (16 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: I thank the Deputy for her ongoing interest in the further and higher education sectors. The Deputy is right there is a need to revisit some of the operational parameters of the LTIs. LTIs are community-based training programmes designed to support individuals who face economic, social or educational disadvantage. This is incredibly important work. The training programmes offered are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (14 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: Dublin and Dún Laoghaire ETB (DDLETB) are currently being supported by SOLAS in developing their proposal for Swords under the FET College of the Future Major Projects fund. DDLETBs proposal is expected to encompass the transformation of FET provision in the area by developing a state-of-the-art further education campus to drive economic growth and social development. The site...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (14 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: As the Deputy is aware, the decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the awarding authority, SUSI to determine. Under the Student Grant Scheme for approved full-time courses, income of the applicant from employment which represents holiday earnings outside of term time (Easter, Summer and Christmas holidays) can be deducted when determining the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Reports (14 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: My Department publishes its annual consultancy spend on the Department website. Please find a copy of the link to this information here - www.gov.ie/en/department-of-further-and-higher-education-res earch-innovation-and-science/organisation-information/depart ment-consultancy-spending/ The Deputy will note the names of companies whose services were procured and the costs spent in each...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (14 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: The Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) programme is designed to provide specific vocational skills to those who have completed senior cycle, to adults returning to education deemed to have the necessary competencies, and to those who are unemployed and seeking to upskill. PLC courses represent the largest component of full-time Further Education and Training (FET) provision at NFQ level 5-6. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (14 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: By way of background, Local Training Initiatives (LTIs) are community-based training programmes designed to support individuals who face economic, social, geographic, or educational disadvantage. The training programmes offered are tailored to meet specific local needs, ensuring relevance and impact within the community. LTIs are independent organisations, with their own independent Boards...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (14 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: Thank you, Deputy, for this question. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are governed by the Universities Act 1997, the Institutes of Technologies Acts 1992 to 2006 and the Technological Universities Act 2018. Within the meaning of these Acts, HEIs are autonomous with regard to management of their academic affairs. As such, any partnerships between institutions are a matter for the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (14 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: My Department publishes its annual consultancy spend on the Department website. Please find a copy of the link to this information here: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-further-and-higher-education-res earch-innovation-and-science/organisation-information/depart ment-consultancy-spending/ The Deputy will note the names of companies whose services were procured and the costs spent in each...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (14 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: By way of background for the Deputy, Youthreach is a national programme designed to provide second-chance education for young people aged 16 to 20 who have left school early or are at risk of not completing their formal education. It offers a flexible, supportive, and alternative learning environment distinct from mainstream post-primary schools, with the aim of equipping participants with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (14 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: Thank you for your correspondence regarding your constituent and their application for student grant funding. The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the centralised student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine. Article 21 of the Student Grant Scheme 2024 sets out for the awarding authority...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (14 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: I fully support the major rental sector reforms announced by Minister Browne, particularly the measures to enhance security of tenure and extend rent control nationwide. These changes are a vital step toward providing greater certainty and protection for all tenants. However, student accommodation remains a distinct and critical part of our housing system. The annualised cycle of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Correspondence (9 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: I thank the Deputy for his question. Higher education institutions (HEIs), such as universities, have autonomy in relation to their admissions. Irish HEIs utilise the CAO, a non-profit private company, to centrally and impartially manage the admissions process and instruct the CAO to make offers on their behalf to applicants. Neither I nor my Department has a role in matters relating to these...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Contracts (9 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: My Department publishes its annual consultancy spend on the Department website. Please find a copy of the link to this information below. The Deputy should note that the publications are currently recorded up to 2023. 2024 will be published on line by the end of October. Consultancy spend is published in arrears in line with the accounts process. Now that DFHERIS has taken...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Equipment (9 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into effect on 25 May 2018 and any personal data breaches, including lost or stolen laptops and mobile phones, since its introduction are dealt with under the regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018. My Department is committed to the highest level of data protection for the personal data which it processes and takes its compliance with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (9 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: My Department's IT infrastructure is provided and managed by the Department of Education as part of a shared service agreement. The Department of Education has informed my officials that there are no recorded instances of software or IT systems procured by the Department of Education subsequently being deemed unfit for purpose, and therefore no associated replacement or remediation costs. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Procurement Contracts (9 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: The information that the Deputy has requested is not readily available, my staff are currently collecting and collating this information and I will be back to you as soon as possible.

Financial Resolutions 2025 - Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed) (8 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: My Department was born from a vision that Ireland's next greatest leap forward would come not from luck or lower taxes, but from knowledge, skills and innovation. It would come from investing in our people as the true engine of national prosperity. That mission is to be the economic engine room of Ireland's future. Under this remit, we are cultivating the skills, research and talent that...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: Up they go; the circus is leaving town, as always.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (8 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: Ireland has a thriving semiconductor and microelectronic cluster that directly employs over 20,000 with 6,500 in highly skilled technical roles and another 3,000 in R&D. The Semi-conductor Strategy “Silicon Island” published last May outlines Ireland’s ambition to become a central player in the European and global semiconductor ecosystem and that its ability to do so...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (8 Oct 2025)

James Lawless: In recognition of the importance of flexible learning pathways, my Department introduced a new Part-Time Fee Scheme for Specified Undergraduate Courses in 2024. This Scheme provides fee support to eligible part-time students enrolled in specified publicly funded undergraduate courses leading to a major award. The scheme includes both in-person and blended/hybrid courses and is designed to...