Results 741-760 of 6,386 for speaker:James Lawless

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: I am sure that the Deputy will appreciate, as Minister, I have no role in the operational day-to-day running of Education and Training Boards (ETBs) as the scheduling and programming of courses is a matter for each individual ETB, subject to their available budget and local needs. My Department has significantly increased its investment in further education and training by nearly...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: As a short-term measure to address the challenges faced by students in accessing accommodation, the Government approved funding for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to activate projects with planning permission that had stalled due to cost and viability challenges. The Maynooth University Student Accommodation project is being funded as part of this Short-term Activation Programme....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Irish Language (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: The number of students admitted to primary concurrent and consecutive programmes in State-funded Higher Education Institutions is determined by the Minister for Education, based on teacher supply and demand, and available resources. My Department fully supports workforce planning by the Department of Education to ensure a steady supply of teachers, including those for Irish-language...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: Irish students who study in Northern Ireland, in EU member states and in Britain are entitled to certain supports provided by SUSI, subject to certain conditions which are set out in the Student Support Act, Student Grant Scheme & Student Support Regulations. Such students are eligible for maintenance grants for undergraduate programmes across the EU and in Northern Ireland and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: As part of the Student Accommodation Short-Term Activation Programme, the University of Galway (UG) received approval to progress a leasing project for approximately 242 additional beds over 15 years. An assessment was commenced by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) as part of the due diligence process, however during the assessment the proposal was withdrawn by the vendor. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: The Further Education and Training (FET) College of the Future Major Projects Fund was launched to address existing deficits in FET infrastructure, to support projects that drive reform of the FET sector and to facilitate consolidation and integration of further education and training. In September 2024 following an evaluation process, six proposals met the relevant criteria and were...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: With the new Student Accommodation Strategy, which is in development, I am seeking to both increase the supply of student accommodation to benefit students and also free up private rental homes. To achieve this, the focus is on a combination of digs accommodation, an examination of vacant property, and the development and leasing of purpose-built student accommodation. I will also examine...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: Under Budget 2025, additional funding was announced for Research Ireland in order to increase its PhD stipend level to €25,000, i.e. an increase of over 31% in two years. This announcement builds on the increases secured under preceding Budgets, demonstrating my Department’s consistent focus and progress on this issue. It has come into effect from 1 January 2025. In doing so,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: Following the publication in 2015 of the Higher Education Authority's report on Student Accommodation: Demand & Supply, the first inter-departmental working group on student accommodation was established. This group supported the development of the first national student accommodation strategy 2017-2024 and monitored its implementation. The Departments of Finance, Public Expenditure...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disability Services (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: This government is prioritising workforce planning needs across health and disability services. My officials and I are working closely with other Departments to support workforce planning responses by creating additional places in areas of acute skills need, ensuring a pipeline of qualified graduates for our health and social care workforce. I recently met with cabinet colleagues, the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: Craft apprenticeships are a vital route to qualification and employment for the construction sector, and strong employer demand has led to a 34% increase in craft apprenticeship registrations since 2019, increasing from 5,300 in 2019 to 7,100 in 2024. My Department continues to oversee the implementation of a priority plan put in place in November 2023 by the National Apprenticeship Office...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: A priority for my department remains the continued growth of the national apprenticeship system to meet Ireland’s skills needs now and into the future. Pipefitting is a craft apprenticeship programme that takes 4 years to complete, with off-the-job training phases delivered through Education Training Boards (ETBs) and Technological Universities (TUs). Munster Technological...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: As was announced in 2024, a Master of Pharmacy and a Veterinary Medicine degree in South East Technological University have been recommended for progression under the HEA Expression of Interest process. It is anticipated that these programmes will have their first intake in September 2026, with up to 40 students on each programme. Engagement with the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: Higher Education Institutions are autonomous bodies who regulate their own administrative and academic affairs, including in relation to issues such as timetabling and usage of space. My Department supports Further and Higher Education Institutions in delivering courses which are flexible to suit learners needs, whether full time, part time, evening or weekend. Many HEIs already provide...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: In the new Student Accommodation Strategy, which is in development, my focus will be on increasing the supply of student accommodation to benefit both students, and free up private rental homes. I will focus on a combination of digs accommodation, examination of vacant property, and the development and leasing of purpose-built student accommodation. I will also examine sustainable...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: As the Deputy is aware, my Department increased the hourly rate of pay for personal assistants by 43%, bringing the rate from €14 per hour to €21 per hour, plus 8% holiday pay in response to discussions between a representative group of personal assistants and the former Minister in my Department, Tánaiste Simon Harris. In 2024, FÓRSA submitted a claim to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Energy Conservation (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: Green and sustainability-focused skills are essential for meeting this Government’s ambitious climate targets set out in the Climate Action Plan, in particular the target to retrofit 500,000 homes to BER B2 standard by 2030. My Department directly supports a broad range of initiatives to ensure that workers are equipped with the skills required to meet these challenges. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: I thank the Deputy for her question. In line with the Programme for Government commitment to provide a step change in the supports and services required by people with disabilities, making education accessible for everyone is the hallmark of this Government’s approach to the Further and Higher Education sector. My Department is working to make the system more responsive to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: This government is prioritising workforce planning across health and disability services, including in Occupational Therapy and Speech and Language Therapy disciplines. My officials and I are working closely with other Departments to address workforce needs by expanding training places in areas of acute skills shortages, ensuring a strong pipeline of qualified graduates for our health and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (27 Mar 2025)

James Lawless: The Department of Transport is responsible for transport policy and overseeing transport services and infrastructure. My Department is engaging with that department to facilitate the alignment of student accommodation policy with climate action requirements. The development of local area demand management schemes in conjunction with the relevant local authorities aims to provide targeted...